Who doesn't benefit from a challenge now and again?

A couple of years ago I decided to take a photograph a day for a year. It was a lot of fun, took some shots I might not have otherwise, stretched, experienced some flops--to be expected, they can't all be masterpieces--and learned a lot about myself and photography.

I've been wanting to do more painting, an artform parallel to photography, which I enjoy as well, but always had a ready excuse. Excuses no more!

For my birth month of September, I'm challenging myself to do a painting a day. It will officially kick off tomorrow, but I forgot there was a 31st in August, so I painted today. Again, no masterpieces to be expected, just exercising painting muscles I haven't played around with in years. Yes! That's it ... this is a playful challenge. If I don't hold myself accountable by posting the painting, such as it is, I know I'll find some other task that will edge out painting, which I WANT to do.

Here goes. Today's painting is with Shiva Oil Sticks on a 5" x 7" canvas board. You'll notice there's a lot of scratching into the medium. I really dig making a mark in a mark. You might notice that it is signed. It's not because I think it's so stupendous, I sign just about everything as a self-congratulatory pat on the back that I followed through on something. So, you'll probably see signatures on everything. I'm not vain, just happy to have painted.