Surprise... yourself!

Swimming Eye to Eye

Acrylic, graphite, collage on paper

40" x 60"

©2010NanciHersh

"When I'm in the studio working, I reach a point at which I know I could stop - that the painting if fine as it is - but I feel that there's something else I want, something more, and I keep pushing, bringing the painting to another place. I scrape off what I have and try something else. That act of pushing myself to make a change- even though maybe what I have there is okay - that, for me, is

excellence. It's pushing yourself further than you think you can go."

- Elizabeth Murray (1940- 2007)

I LOVE this quote! I have it taped inside of a sketchbook and reread it when I work to keep pushing... and surprising myself.

Elizabeth Murray talks about "bringing the painting to another place." That is an act of faith and courage ... and practice. Showing up consistently, and as we say in yoga, coming to your edge.

How do you know when you are at your edge? How do you take that leap of faith?

Different day- different approach

March 12 & 14th Tea Bag drawings:

how to be fluid and approach each moment with a freshness.

I woke up to an amazing dream within a dream. It was exhilarating and scary- I was in some sort of competition and had to jump down from amazing heights, often over stairs. It seemed impossible to jump out so far without landing so hard, but hey, I was dreaming so I knew I would be fine, and I was. Faith.