Kat Dakota

Most of my adult years I was a video writer, producer, director and editor. That career led to graphic design. It wasn't until my late 50's I found painting as my passion. I believe it is the hardest thing I wanted to master - but it is also the most rewarding. Currently pet portrait commission work is my main source of income. I aspire to paint people and figures that tell a story and create personal experiences for the viewer – where the execution – not the subject matter – grabs the viewer's interest and brings them back to look again. I feel like was I growing as an artist but it seems the more I learned the more tightly I painted. After a basic block in with transparent colors I freeze. I can't seem to know the best way to proceed so that I can leave some under painting exposed and the outer edges very loose. I feel I'm so inconsistent with my painting. A success - then I wonder how did I do that when I start the next one. I want to learn to lay color and values side by side seeing each brush stroke without blending.