It’s not far off now. My creativity has crept back in, cautiously returning after a long absence. It has been missing for so long and I am finally close to finding it again. My last proper get-together with my art was months ago. This is sad to say and not very artist-like at all, but I have been putting money ahead of supplies. I’ve taken a certain pride in watching my bank account grow, yet I have been prioritising that growth over painting. The almighty dollar has captured me and, in chasing it, I have sinned against the craft. It’s not a cheap pursuit; each endeavor easily costs over a thousand dollars, and to do it properly can cost much more. Even with that investment I am not guaranteed everything will go to plan, and most of my pieces I remain reluctant to call truly finished. My work is in a constant state of evolving. The big dilemma is whether I should experiment and have some fun trying new techniques, or stay with what I know. What I know is what sells. Without sounding full of myself, most of the work I create and post for sale does, in fact, sell. There may be a few pieces I can’t rid myself of, but ninety percent of what I make walks out the door. During my artistic binges I tend to move the bulk of what I produce — I may have sold twenty plus paintings recently. One reason I can sell most of my work is that I price it too low. I don’t make a killing through sales; I make sure I cover the materials it took to create each piece, but I’m not putting enough value on my time. That has to change. I know I won’t make as many sales if I raise prices, but hopefully charging more will better reflect the worth of my time and make up for the coin I miss out on when I sell too cheaply. Does that make sense? Another problem is that I don’t have an ideal place to create. I live in a large house with a big backyard, but it’s my parents’ house, so there are rules to be followed. Those rules may sound simple, but they make things difficult. It’s hard for me to set up and actually keep the paint on the canvas. During my last painting spree I had my easel on the lawn, set up on a drop sheet, and trying to work outdoors introduced a whole set of problems. Painting in the elements is tricky — it’s either raining, windy, or glaringly sunny, so I’m always chasing shade or shelter to protect my work. I used to work in my dad’s shed, but over the years he’s filled it with motorbikes and other gear, so there simply isn’t room anymore, and I definitely don’t want paint near his bikes — that would be a disaster. My life wouldn’t be worth living. What I really need is my own studio or a space I can call my own where I can make a mess without worrying about rules or damage. That kind of place is not easy to find. I’ve got a few untouched canvases and a pile of paint, but I tend to work on a grand scale and need assurance I have all the supplies. I always use the same sized canvas, 36” x 36”, and each one costs $102. Paints range from about $10 up to $40 or $50 a tube depending on the brand and pigments, so having a proper workspace and a reliable stock of materials is crucial. The markup on art supplies is ridiculous. The shop I rely on along the peninsula has a monopoly; they’re the only store in the area and can set whatever prices they want. I get 20 percent off as a regular customer and I buy in significant amounts, but even with that discount it still adds up and feels very costly. Thanks for reading.