Open Studios Challenge: 3 Paintings in 6 Days

San Francisco Open Studios for the Mission District is next weekend. For those of you who don't know about this city's open studio, it's a month long event where different neighborhoods are assigned a weekend to show off their art and artists in the area. It's a HUGE event with a preview show, map, and catalog put together by Artspan. People from all over the Bay Area come out to San Francisco for this event.

Usually this is my main event and big source of income for the year, where I show off all my new paintings, but since I now have a few galleries representing my work, I don't have as many new pieces as I usually do. Many of my paintings are out at galleries so I am left with older work and some empty walls. I also took two weeks off in September to get married and go on a honeymoon. I hate the idea of empty walls and not having new work so I have been busting my ass trying to finish as many new paintings as possible.

I have five new pieces that I completed before the wedding and I just finished two this week. This is a good amount of work but I still need more. I decided to try and get three 16"x16" paintings done, starting today (Friday). In order for them to be dry and ready to hang, they have to be done by Thursday night. So, can I do it? Can I complete three paintings by Thursday night? That's six days away, which means at least two days per painting. I have completed 18 paintings in 30 days before so I know I can work well under pressure. If I keep a good schedule and don't get distracted, I know it can be done. I completed the sketches for all three pieces and started painting one of them. If I can work at least 5 hours a day, including this weekend (which I usually don't work), then I think I can do it. I even have a 12"x12" panel, just in case I have some extra time. You never know, it could happen!

Image shown: This is the painting I started today. It's the first time I have ever painted an animal. They are very cute beagles! (At least I think they are beagles.)