"I do not like green eggs and ham..."

"It's not easy being green." (-Joe Rapposo, and Kermit)

Greens, in painting, are often perturbing for me. When faced with a verdant landscape, my agitation is akin to a panic attack if I’m attempting to paint it. Somehow, all that green surrounding me is just overwhelming.

Last year, I met with a sweet friend Lin, and we both went to the Butterfly House at a local museum. It’s a serene setting with tropical plants, benches, and a humid, warm, controlled climate to appease the foliage and delicate butterflies. The place is just abounding in green. We sat on a bench and relaxed together, intent on sketching and painting this tranquil setting. I was immediately overtaken with anxiety as I tried to determine what I could select as a focal point. Finally, my eyes settled on 3 enormous dancing leaves amidst the jungle, and I sketched to my heart’s delight.

Sometimes, it’s good to just get out of the box.

Cezanne once said: “There are two things in the painter; the eye and the mind; each of them should aid the other.”