How I begin a new painting

Each new painting begins with a pause. I stand in front of a blank canvas and let it sit with me for a while—sometimes minutes, sometimes days. I take in its size, its shape, its presence. I think about what I’m feeling, and how I want to express that feeling through colour and movement.

Before I even touch a brush, I like to set the mood. Sometimes I turn on music or an audiobook, but other times I prefer the quiet sounds of my studio: the gentle scratch of brush on canvas, the rustling trees outside, a distant crow or the chatter of a squirrel. Living in the country means that silence has its own richness.

My process usually begins with choosing a ground colour. Lately, I’ve started with blue—my go-to. It gives me a sense of openness and calm. But if I want the painting to have an internal glow, I’ll reach for warmer hues: orange, red, sometimes yellow. The ground sets the tone for everything that follows.

I don’t plan things out too much. I prefer to let intuition lead. I begin with broad gestures, working quickly at first. Then I pause, look, and respond. It’s a back-and-forth that continues throughout the piece. Sometimes I shift directions. Sometimes I paint over everything and begin again.

Each painting starts slowly and quietly, and if I pay attention in those early moments, the painting usually finds its own way.