Oil on canvas, 16”x20”

It helps to have a side piece. This is one of mine.

Obviously, I’m talking about a painting, not some handsome hunk on the side.

When I’m deep into a realistic commission, I crave freedom. Realism is demanding work. It’s slow, precise, and full of details that test my patience, something I’ve never had much of. Every millimeter has to be considered. Every color has to make sense. It’s rewarding, yes, but grueling.

That’s where my “side piece” comes in. A painting that’s loose, experimental, and much faster than a commission. It’s where I get to play with new brushes, color mixes, strokes, and mediums.

These recent seascapes have been perfect for that. They’re fun, pretty, loose, and always a little unpredictable. They give me a creative high, then send me back to realism refreshed and ready to focus again.

Side pieces are a breath of fresh air, a fling with freedom, a quick escape before returning to the grind.

(And no, I wouldn’t know anything about the other kind!)