A visual history of the process

One of the things that interest me in painting is how it’s a visual record of time transferred to a surface. From the time the artist starts thinking about a painting, every decision has an effect on the finished painting. I may know the general direction a painting will go before I start, or perhaps I know what materials I’ll be using, or maybe a specific color, but the end result can only be achieved through the process and through time.

Spur-of-the-moment decisions in front of the easel can have lasting effects on the final painting. Marks are made through the use of paint, tools, and even screwdrivers or wire fencing. Layers get added that might erase these marks or might make them stand out even more. Each painting becomes a visual history of these processes - told through layers, marks, and time.

I sometimes wonder if I had worked on a painting on a different day, would that painting have been different? If my day had gone differently would that have affected my choices in front of the canvas?