So after I created my blog post for yesterday, I did go ahead and I gessoed four small canvases. The saying about momentum is true, because once I started out doing that, I looked around the studio to see what else I could gesso without being too committed to the perfection of the outcome.

I gessoed a 16″x20″ canvas with black gesso.

While the gesso was still wet, I took the opposite end of my brush and, instead of painting, started inscribing into the surface of the perfectly smooth wet gesso. I wasn’t entirely sure of everything I wrote, as I was trying my best to just “do” and not “think” — since thinking too much lately has resulted in art block and fear.

Once the gesso dried, I could make out some of the words of the pep-talk that I was giving myself about painting. This was my proverbial kick in the pants to get moving on painting again and again.

The art isn’t going to make itself.

An artist makes art.

Don’t think. Just paint.

You have to start somewhere. Start here. Start NOW.

Some of these pep-talk motivational kickisms are:

• An artist makes art.
• Don’t think. Just Paint!
• You have to start somewhere. Start here. Start now.
• Time does not wait.
• The art isn’t going to make itself (my favorite).
• Make your first mark.
• You can do it! (sorry Nike)
• What happens in the studio shouldn’t just stay in the studio.
• Get in the studio and get back to work!
• Make it happen!
• If you didn’t fail, you didn’t try.
• A blank canvas is just the beginning of the magic ahead.
• Art is a verb.

After the gesso was dry, then I painted over and wiped off the paint, leaving a sort of chalkboard feel to the piece. It wasn’t something I was going to exhibit publicly, but it will be put in a prominent place in my studio to remind me that even on the the harshet days, the art isn’t going to make itself.