January

January may be the longest month.

Not because it is 31 days long, but because it can be gray and cold. Dreary and seemingly endless.

It started off fine. Temps were mild as the new year rolled in--in the 40s-low 50s. And there had been no major snowstorms. Definitely not the typical Minnesota winter. So I know I shouldn't complain.

But all good things have to come to an end. Right?

While we still haven't had any major snow, temps have taken a plunge. And it's about to get worse.

My body aches in this cold. My motivation and inspiration seems to have all but disappeared. And all my good intentions at the beginning of the month to be super-productive seem to have evaporated. Just as my body seems to be sluggish, so is my creative mind, it seems.

Tomorrow will be my first full day in the studio after a four-day stint at my museum gig. I plan on parking it in the studio. Hopefully there will be enough sun spilling into the studio to fool my brain into thinking it's nice out there.

And then I will paint.