Barbara West

There is nothing so exciting as a blank canvas and an image before me that needs to be painted. It makes my soul so happy to be in that place. There has to be something exciting about the subject that appeals to me that makes me want to paint it. Be it the subject, the lighting, the atmosphere, the composition, the colors, or the emotional appeal.

I usually start with a quick charcoal sketch to lay down the composition and design of the painting and establish lights and darks. Next, I cover the canvas with paint. Ahh. But after that, the struggle begins. Bringing the painting from the basic concept to the finished piece is not always easy. Fortunately, most of the time I’m happy with the finished painting. So from happy. To a struggle. To happy again. That’s my process.