Repetition and balance are important in the artists’ toolboxes. I have learned this over the years. I always wondered why artists through history continued to paint scenes again and again through their career. Now I understand it. It is a matter of interest and the desire to do it better or to better understand a subject with repeated attempts. I often paint a scene that intrigues me many times. I never get it right, but the desire to continues.

 However, there is a danger to painting one subject only for a career life. I know painters who do this and their work becomes stale and terribly predictable after some years. My favorite subjects are upland, rural ranches and farms. I can paint them endlessly and happily, but I change to rivers, wetlands, springs, florals, birds, etc. for periods, to give myself new challenges. 

 When I go back to my fields and beloved trees, I have a fresh, new interest for them. Perhaps I have learned new brush, knife work by changing to a different subject for a time. I notice more about color palettes, composing, values. It peaks my interest further to attempt mastering my favorite subjects.

 
This country painter has a lot of fun…