Inspiration on the Road

Inspiration has been known to hit me at the weirdest times. For example, with my painting 'Heron Hideaway' - I thought I was finished with the painting. It was varnished, nicely framed and ready to hang at the Peppertree Art Show. However, while driving to the show to drop off my paintings, a sudden idea popped into my head. The painting needed a ladybug in the reeds. It would add a little splash of color and a little more interest to the piece.

The painting was supposed to be dropped off Monday morning at the Peppertree Ranch the week before the show opened. While Sherrie (who helps run the show) and artist George Lockwood looked over my art and entered them into the inventory list I casually mentioned that I would like to add a ladybug to the heron painting. Their faces lit up and they both thought it was a great idea with George even offering his studio and supplies for me to paint one. I did bring my painting stuff though, and I went back to my brother and sister-in-law's house, sat at their backyard table in the beautiful southern California sun and added a ladybug to the painting. The painting was back to the ranch in time for hanging later that day and to complete the process, George went over the fresh paint with a little varnish.

I decided to add the insect to the far left side of the image out of conflict with the heron. The viewer's eye is eventually led to the ladybug and it becomes a nice surprise in the painting.
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