Set her free

I often tell people that I'm not a good painter, but I am a persistent one. I will paint a horse over and over and over again, until it's right.

The problem is, sometimes they're never right.

I always feel like they could be just a little bit better if I tried a little harder and worked a little longer.

As a result, I have a whole herd of half finished horses, some of which I have been painting on and off for years.

Trifle is a perfect example of this. She is a customized Sommer Prosser Wild Heather resin that I bought in a stripped and half finished state way back in 2012.

It took me the better part of five years to get her ready for paint. I started with pastels, and that went terribly wrong extremely quickly. She went on back on the naughty shelf and lingered there until NaMoPaiMo 2020. I painted her again, this time with oils. The first coat didn't cover the grainy pastels, so I painted her again. 

That was as far as she got that year, but I pulled her out again in 2021.

I painted her at least three more times.

Things were going well, so I got cocky and added dapples.

Then the month ended, and I contracted my usual post-NaMo burnout. Trifle went back on the shelf. Again.

I pulled her out last year, determined this would be the year. I realized that somewhere in all that her color shifted from bright gold to more of a dusty tan. I wasn't sure I liked it, so back on the shelf she went.

I dusted her off earlier this month, and added yet another coat of oils. This is still not as good as I want her to be, but I started thinking that maybe enough was enough. 

I turned to the NaMoPaiMo Facebook group for advice.

The response was immediate, thoughtful, sympathetic and encouraging.

All the advice was helpful,

and I really appreciated the empathy...

and kind words.

My dear friend and NaMoPaiMo staff member, Corina Roberts, quoted my own words back to me, saying: You taught me this, actually - is this the best I can do right now? And did I paint the chestnuts? Then it is done. I do go back sometimes. I have gone back to La Barilla several times and updated chestnuts, eyes, even dremelled a pretend bridle path in the mane, and sealed behind his ears which I guess I missed. I completely redid my 2021 NaMo horse because the second I declared it done I realized I could do better, and I had to do better, as the red was bleeding through the roaning. I think this horse is gorgeous. Fix the things you can't live with, and love your work. It's fantastic.

Corina and Winnie

Lexie Lawrynovicz built on this point, and, just like that, I knew it was time to set Trifle free.

This is the last in-progress picture I am ever going to post of her.

Next time you see her, she will be finished!