Painting Without Intent

This sweet bird painting came about this week.  On a night I had to myself.  A rarity indeed!  Billy and Mailey were at our church's VBS and William was sleeping over at a friend's house.  I cleaned house for a spell then went downstairs to my studio to make sure everything ready for the Tween camp the next day.  I'd placed this board on my easel earlier in the week as a "need to get to" board.  I'd no idea what I wanted to paint on it, but stopped that night, grabbed a piece of chalk and just started.  After drawing I went ahead and started adding paint.  More paint....more paint...and about an hour later I was like, "WOW.  I like this." 

It felt good to paint again.  Not for any purpose, but just to paint.  I have such little time for myself these days that usually when I do I don't spend it in the studio.  That's just more work.  In my mind it is.  But that night it wasn't work.  It was exploring my inner artsy self.  The one that started painting years ago just because.  The one that was really clueless as to what it meant to be a painter.  I like when I find that artist.  And I let her out.  Ironically I posted this on facebook that night.  And it already sold.  Yeah.  Painting without an intent sometimes has a lovely outcome.