Drayton Mill, acrylic on board, 40″x36″

The thing I love about participating in MAC’s Flat Out Under Pressure 24-hour painting contest is I get to spend 24 hours (okay, in this case, about 15 hours) doing nothing but painting. The thing I hate is that I only get 24 hours to do a painting. Time is one of the most important elements in making a painting. Time, not just to do the actual work, but time to step back and see if things are working. Time to take a break, walk away and come back with “fresh eyes”. Time to do it right. There’s never enough time.

The painter, Philip Guston said, “Frustration is one of the great things in art; satisfaction is nothing.”

But this, of course, is what makes the contest a contest. And so the competition is not really against other artists (66 this year!) but against myself. The fun, for me, is condensing a picture-making process that might take days or weeks into hours. Time-lapse painting.

The results are less polished, more raw; less thoughtful, more spontaneous; and yes, less satisfying, more frustrating.

But what great ride!

To take a look at all the participant’s work (and “Like” the ones you like), click; MAC’s FOUP Facebook Page .