How Long Does It Take To Paint a Painting?

This is probably one of the most common questions someone will ask me, or most artists. This is a tricky question to answer. We really aren't trying to be evasive. It just depends.

Yes, I know "it depends" is what we were told to say to just about anything in business classes at school, but in this case, it really does! Take today - today I'm in the flow. But yesterday - yesterday was a struggle of crazy proportions. My brain would just not let the right side take over and make things effortless. So as a result I couldn't "see" what it was I needed to paint. And so nothing was working. This went on for hours! And the normal tricks I use to loosen up like grabbing my Starbucks or dancing in the studio were not working. Finally at like 11pm at night, my brain finally switched over, stopped fighting, and I was in the flow.

So when we say "it depends" it really does. It depends on our inspiration, on our ability to be in the flow and also our ability to let go and trust. Any artists out there have similar days?

For another look inside the making of art, see What is an Artist's Medium?