On painting slowly

I used to think speed was a sign of confidence. I’d watch other painters finish a canvas in a single session and feel like I was doing something wrong.

I don’t think that anymore.

The pieces I’ve been most surprised by are the ones I walked away from. Left for a week. Came back to with different eyes. The Tidal Oval sat in the corner of the studio for six weeks before I understood what it needed.

Patience isn’t slowness. It’s waiting for the work to tell you something.

The oval panels take longer anyway — the wood has to be primed differently, the edges require attention that flat canvas doesn’t. I’ve come to appreciate the constraint. It slows me down whether I want to be slow or not.

If you’re someone who paints: try leaving a piece you think is finished. Give it two weeks. Look at it again.