My Work Routine

First things first, my typical work day starts with coffee: I wake up, grind the beans, steam the milk, and using my espresso machine make an extra strength cappuccino which I enjoy with a slice of banana bread (that I bake myself) so I don’t rip out the lining in my stomach.

Once I got enough coffee coursing through my veins I go into the studio space. When I am working with acrylics there is no “warm up”. The material is already premixed in pots so I just pick up where I left off. The routine is different when I am working with oil colors. I arrange the colors in a specific sequence on the palette and mix the gradations I’ll be using first. Everything must be in a specific place. I paint using my muscle memory so I shouldn’t be having to think where a specific brush is or where to find the color I am looking for.

The whole process resembles a ritual as I step into and away from the canvas. Once the motion starts, I am on my way to a productive working day.

When I feel less than excited about working, all it takes is going through the motions of setting up the palette and placing myself in the right position to get me started. Starting work with acrylics is a little different. I just put myself in the working position and stand there looking at the work. Anywhere from five minutes to half an hour just standing there looking at the work is all it takes. Then suddenly it hits me, what needs to happen and off I go.