I’m in the in-between time of having shipped off several canvases to their forever homes or to galleries to strut their stuff or hang in exhibits yet to open. They’re all dressed up with everywhere to go, while I and their younger, yet to fully develop little sibling paintings are hanging out in the nursery, aka basement art room

These little “works in progress” (WIPs) are rowdy, demanding my attention. They wake me up in the night demanding a new brush of paint, or perhaps just one more swipe of vine charcoal before they’re ready to quiet down.

Close my eyes and it’s once again 5am. I’m back in the creativity time warp, stumbling amongst paints and canvases, peeking around easels trying to tiptoe through the chaos. Time to feed the painting. It’s time to follow the sketchbook prompts, to select a color for the mood journal…nothing too in-depth, nothing requiring great skill or expertise but everything bringing one more idea, squeaking out a solution to a canvas that’s been stuck on layer three, when I know there’s at least 20 more layers before it’s truly ready to hang out – outside my easel’s frame.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray my canvases count some sheep. Tomorrow is another day. Time warp, time warp – stay away.

WIPs are all around.