by Jill Stefani Wagner

"Arbor Lane"    Plein Air Oil Landscape Painting    8 inches x 10 inches       See Pricing

I've been off my artblog grid for awhile. And to those who follow me or have been trying to figure out where I disappeared to... I apologize! Its been a crazy year and I've had a hard time keeping up. I've been at 2 plein air festivals and 2 additional painting trips since the last time I've communicated with y'all. Sometimes I am so consumed with this art journey, I don't know where I am. Or where home is.

Some of the biggest joys in my new painting life come from traveling. Exploring unknown places, meeting new friends and being inspired by newly discovered vistas are totally invigorating. And also very perplexing. The old, safe ways don't apply anymore. The ground moves under my feet and the skies rumble. My viewpoint and my thought processes are constantly changing. "What DO I believe?" "Is ANYTHING cast in stone?"

I have to be willing to try new things to improve my art and my career, but it often feels tenuous and downright dangerous to do so. We all long for the safety of what we have always known, for what has always worked in the past. But I've finally given in to the fact that only through the uncertainty of change will I be able to climb to the next level. Whether that means using new techniques, painting different subjects, seeking new mentors or just allowing myself to be silent for awhile, I'm willing to bend into it.

"Memorial Day Weekend"    Plein Air Oil Landscape Painting    8 inches x 10 inches       See Pricing

While I've been traveling and away from my "home home" and trying to find my "art home," I've also been trying to move my "digital home." I've been a vagabond for a good six months in so many ways, flitting from place to place. But with my website up and the realization that change is good, I now feel a bit more settled and ready to take on the world.

Which, by the way, I will be doing very soon. Later this week I'm off to Seville, Spain to assist my bud Nora Venturelli at a two-week plein air workshop!