When I Was a Kid...

This a post about sources of inspiration. Its a winding path I am taking here but bear with me.

Detail of forsythia painting when I was 4 or 5

I had been searching for this "Forsythia" painting that I did as a very young child for quite some time, even emailing my mother to see if she had it. Turns out it was right under my nose, badly creased in a book that was one of those "All about me" books that kids can fill in.

Please ignore that bit about being a hairdresser or movie star

I know I was very young when I filled in this book based on the items that my mother filled in and my address. I am positively giddy when I see this and wish that I could tell my 5 year old self to just be patient. It was in this book that I found the lost painting that I wanted.

I was looking for it because I always loved the simplicity of the floral abstract. I remember painting this and knowing that forsythia do not actually look like this but that what I was doing was unmistakeably floral and I was happy with that.
I think that is why I gravitate towards floral themes in my art. I ordered The paintings of Joan Mitchell and have been devouring it.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a childhood painting and several examples of her work as a student. I love almost every painting in large color plates in the book and seeing the progression of her style.

Begonia-Joan Mitchell

The obviously floral abstracts are among my favorite but the the abstracts with a harder feel really speak to me too. Some of the Joan Mitchell paintings were described as "happy and floral" by the writer who was puzzled by Joan's description of a "violent" painting. I wondered about the line between pretty/floral and violent. Could they coexist on the same canvas? Here is my first stab at that.

"What if God wears boots?" oil and gouache on canvas By Kerry Steele

This is a small (18 x 24) painting and I need to make these larger. There is a bit of texture that I like.

I have been experimenting with oils lately and think I am hooked. I always let the dry time deter me from trying them and thought they would operate the same as acrylics but take a week to dry. The experience with oils is wholly different. The inspiration was Joan Mitchell paintings and I want to continue to explore this way of painting both in style and materials. FYI, Mr Design du Monde hates, hates, hates this painting and you might not dig it either but that is OK. Go ahead be honest.

 and one other, as yet untitled, late night foray into the joy of oils.
One last little thing, as everyone here was rushing out to grocery stores ahead of the impeding storm, I was rushing to the art supply store for some large canvases. My odd priorities were not lost on me.
Do tell, do you like this moodier style?