Winter Pool III ⓒ 2013 Michaela Harlow - 14″ x 17″ – Pastel & Pencil on Paper

Early start again this morning —my feline muse awoke me at 4:30 am— which was a bit inconvenient as I was out later than usual last night; enjoying drinks and dinner with a friend. Why must Woo perch on the board above my head, attempting to sip water from the half full glass? She does this, of course, because she knows it will get me up when the purring, mewing, swatting and toe biting fail. Sometimes I fail to catch her, and the glass spills over, resulting in a rather unpleasant start to my day. Fortunately, I had a dry morning, and I headed into the studio before first light.

I started this third branch painting yesterday evening before dinner. I have to cover the paintings every night to prevent uninvited, nocturnal feline collaborations.

After speaking with a friend about some older artwork, I realize how important it is to properly document paintings by number & date, photograph them and place them in order in my dry storage. I often work in series, with many pieces sharing the same name; sometimes I can not recall which piece is where (with a collector, an exhibit, a gallery or in storage). The numbering helps when the titles are the same, or similar, and it’s even more important when they are Untitled!

Winter Pool III ⓒ 2013 Michaela Harlow - 14″ x 17″ – Pastel & Pencil on Paper