Painting #33. When Coyote Flashes Red, She Can Be Quite Formidable. Coyote teaches us to flash red when needed, to shape-shift, to be adaptable, to be formidable. To retreat when it is prudent. To learn from others. To form alliances. And to be willing to walk alone if necessary.

I've gotten a bit derailed in my Painting a Day project with life events - but am managing to complete about 5 new paintings a week. I continue to be amazed by how the discipline of going into the studio nearly every day and working on a painting start to finish has improved my skills and helped me have the confidence to take risks. I am really enjoying the small canvases - they are not so daunting as a large canvas, yet the same thought processes that go into a larger painting are still here in the miniature.

One of the challenges has been to come up with enough reference material - I like to have several photographs to start with because I'm usually not sure until I am actually in the studio with the canvas secure on the easel, my palette laid out, music cranked up and mind cleared of the day's clutter what I will paint. I usually just start flipping through my references until something hits me. Then I start painting!