How Long Should an Artist Ruminate?

 Some paintings feel pretty straight forward- you start them, know where they need to go design-wise, and the color palette is set in your mind (more or less). And then there are those paintings that need a little more time to ruminate - to work things out in your mind. It can take years, and sometimes there are thoughts of loving the painting one minute, and then despising it the next. There are paintings that get painted over, and paintings that never, ever get finished. And then there are some, that after a few years, will spark an epiphany, and suddenly the painting direction becomes crystal clear. That's what happened for me with this painting during Covid lockdown; I suddenly felt renewed energy to finish it. There is such joy in gliding a brush drenched in color across a canvas, and the process that goes along with it. And when it's completed, there's sometimes that wonderful momentum to keep painting, unless one of those moments takes over like it did with this painting. Stay healthy, stay positive, stay creative.

Mother Universe and Daughter Earth with the Lemurs

Sometimes, certain animals come into my head and I'm just compelled to draw them. They usually are the unusual and have something unique about them. I love the look of Lemurs and their name refers to "ghost spirits" in a tribal language. They are actually owned as pets here in the U.S and their original habitat is Madagascar. This is my second Lemur painting I've created. The first one has sold. This 19" x 24" pastel painting is a complete vision in my mind. The only reference I used was a picture of a Lemur, and a plant indigenous to Madagascar to authenticate where the painting was set. From my RedBubble site I offer this description: A surreal pastel painting of Lemurs, a beautiful woman, and a child; one represents the Universe, the other, the Earth. They flow and balance together to create harmony, and to stress the dependency we have to one another and our environment. Original art by © Laura J. Holman.


This painting took me almost a year to complete. It sat staring at me from the easel, half finished, for months. Many times, I haven't a clue where a painting should go until I step back from it. Some take little time, while others seem to take forever. As with any creative endeavor, we can liken it to the process of giving birth.