Crystal Fullerton Fine Art

Broadcove Valiant Diablo Oil Portrait Private collection

I have been painting for a long time. Long if you ask my kids but to me it seems like it is a timeless event. I do this because it causes me pleasure and takes me to my happy place. I used to tease my friends about having a happy place but in recent months I have found that other creative friends understood me when I joked about this mythical location.

One's a musician and the other is a writer and both commented on the calmness they felt when they took up their "hobby" and lost themselves for a few hours. Maybe it is akin to meditation because after I leave the studio I feel refreshed and energized.

Invariably people who visit my studio ask "How long did it take you to do this?"as they gaze upon some piece I have created.

"It varies" I say. And this never satisfies them. When I explain that I do it until I get it right they usually look at me with concern or disbelief. In a world so consumed by the quantification of time it seems foolish to them to do it until "it is right."

Then they ask "is this your best?" Or "What one is your favorite?"

When I explain that each one is a journey where I learn something new they look at me as if I am queer in the head. I suppose in this day and age that is a justifiable concern (my answer, their question but not my state of mind!). Why would one ever want to do a job until it is right or learn from the task when they could just go home at 5pm? No later mind you , wouldn't want to pay overtime would we?

I am glad to know that I am not alone in this ethic. I would hate to think that my doctor would ever walk out of a surgery because it was quitting time. I like to think that he and many others out there like to "do it until it is right."

What about you?

The above bull is a Holstein Bull bred by Ensley Crowe of Burncoat Nova Scotia. Diablo put Nova Scotia on the map for improving the quality of the Holstein breed in this country. While I am well known for painting dairy cows this is the first bull I ever painted. I was quite pleased with how well it turned out.