My Mother's Dulcimer, 18 x 24 in. oil on canvas. Completed May, 2007.


It's my mother. With a dulcimer.

After I had changed jobs, I was having some problems getting back in the swing of painting and feeling the inspiration, and whatever that feeling is that makes me want to go and paint something.

As I write this, I have 5 unfinished canvases. This is the first I was able to finish, and I was very frustrated, feeling like it wasn't what I wanted it to be. But I had stopped and started it too many times. I was tired of it. I'm not sure what it was really that made me so worried - perfectionism, or maybe the fact that I was trying to depict my mother and I was going to give it to her. But I was unhappy with it and unable to make it any better, so I posted it here.

I guess I got over it. Comments here helped (thanks!) and my family helped as well.

I originally intended this to be entered into a portrait competition, but I couldn't get it finished in time. So I think I'll just give it to my mom and consider entering it in the future if I still like it...