As we all feverishly prepare for Christmas, I thought this would be a good time to give some thought to this time of year. Christmas for me is a joyful time. It%92s family time. I always get to spend this holiday with my children and grandchildren. I am very lucky, I know that.

It%92s not such a wonderful time for everyone, though. It%92s a very stressful time. We get caught up in the race of buying presents, of trying to find the %92perfect%92 gift for everyone on our list. So many things to do, spending too much money, it can ruin the mood for many.

So many of us have so much, while so many have so little. Whether we%92re talking about money, things, or family and friends, Christmas can be a sad time for many, and I like to remember that too.

Christmas started out as a religious holiday, but has evolved into a huge commercial machine. Some still celebrate it as a religious holiday, many do not. What I like about Christmas, and what is means to me, are the sentiments: LOVE and PEACE.

So, I wish you all the best over this holiday season. Love and Peace to everyone.

Suzette

PS: My gift to you this Christmas, a printable 2007 Art Calendar. Hope you enjoy it. 2007 Art Calendar

My regular method of painting is to create an interesting base with texture and colour and to let the painting evolve from there. One thing will suggest another, and the painting builds up, one stage upon another, until I am satisfied with the result and I can call it finished.

Every once in a while, a painting gets stubborn and just doesn%92t want to come together and I find myself changing directions completely half way through the painting. By completely, I mean paint over the whole thing with one colour, often black, and start over again; I still have my textured base at this point, but nothing else. My latest painting, Tulips, is an example of this; it just wouldn%92t come together and so, I (it) changed direction 2 or 3 times. I%92m glad it%92s finished now.

It can be rather daunting when you can%92t bring a painting together and are forced to start over like that. It happens once in a while. Why is that? I don%92t know. Maybe I haven%92t been painting regularly enough lately, and I get out of the swing of it, and it becomes more difficult to get back into it, to get the spirit of the thing flowing and finding its way. So the lesson learned from this one is that I must try and paint more regularly, every day if possible, even if only for short time. (Make that %92Item 1%92 on my list of New Year%92s resolutions!!)

Share your views by clicking on %92Comments%92 below.

Suzette