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Victoria Storm's avatar

Love this explanation of process. Love that you write your thoughts and share. In the dictionary of life there should be a picture of you defining “Renaissance Man.” Thank you.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Thank you Victoria. Good to see you!

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Victoria Storm's avatar

I want you to hear my new release. You helped me find it in your songwriting weekend workshop. Where can I post it?

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

You still have my email?

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Marsha Hahn's avatar

Thank you for this sliver of awe in my day. Just what I needed.

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Bobbie Hayes's avatar

You never cease to amaze me and give me " food for thought" ! It's beautiful!

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Thank you Bobbie. Come see it! Now in Christine’s gallery. ;-)

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Bobbie Hayes's avatar

I would LOVE to come see it and you, your Mom and of course Rowan.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Spring break this week! We’re home. Any time.

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Danda Stein's avatar

I wish everyone’s brain worked as well as yours. Maybe there’d be more patience and tolerance!

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Ha! I promise you I’m dumb sometimes.

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Chris B.'s avatar

Outstanding and sublime. Thanks again for such a pure view into the creative process.

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Naufragous Kat's avatar

I bought a tiny tiny tiny little water color book/palate thing off the internet on an impulse. Two of them, actually — figured on giving one to my goddaughter. Haven’t used it yet but I’ll get there. I hope. I started sketching performers sometimes at shows. Didn’t do any this weekend at Will McLean Festival but I gave a few away at 30A. Eliot has one. Katie Martin liked hers enough to share it online, which was uplifting. Maybe I can back my way into that tiny watercolor palate with a few more spit-smeared ink pages.

Every time you share a painting it tugs me in that direction just a bit more.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

I drew some things upside down. That was helpful for breaking the spell.

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Dustonia Call's avatar

“The way to keep going — let go.”

I love this because it can be applied to so many things.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

My motto!

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Kim Ware's avatar

Wow! It's beautiful. The grid makes sense. I used to draw and paint when I was a kid. Somewhere along the way I feel like I lost the ability to do so. I keep wanting to try it again ... Maybe the grid approach could help. Anyway, thanks for sharing!

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Thank you, Kim. I’m not a great freehand drawer, so the grid helps me get the proportions right. I’ve used a projector too. Whatever. There’s no cheating, unless you cheat yourself out of making some art.

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Mary Bycroft's avatar

I have been messing with watercolors, and acrylics. Your story is encouraging! Why worry if someone will like it, even me!? You are a gifted and natural teacher. I am grateful to have people like you in my life. By the way, you are a gifted painter. Love the first one you did. Is that your mom in the kitchen?

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

That’s my girlfriend’s mom in the kitchen on Easter Sunday.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

You've inspired me. Again!

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Turnabout is fair play!

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Troy Putney's avatar

It’s hard to see beyond our own perfectionism, but this is a stunning and rich piece of art — both the painting and the process.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Thank you, Troy.

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Beth Browne (she/her)'s avatar

👏🏽😁

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StacySinner's avatar

Gah!!! I love this so much!!! I’ve been taking fine art painting classes for a few months now and you are hitting the language apparently without knowing it. I’m not surprised. Grids, shadows, upside down painting are all staples! It’s beautiful!! Also, I’ve been meaning to ask my teacher, “why do we paint on canvas?” It’s textured and unruly! Your process of filling it a bit really makes sense but again, why do we paint on this surface? Someone must know. It makes painting straight lines tricky. Oh well, back at it! 🙂 Love from here to there, we miss you.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Wood panel is still popular especially for oils, but canvas made big paintings light and easy to move. Prepared canvases can be very smooth, it just takes a few coats of gesso and sanding. I did not sand this canvas, but the canvas texture is completely gone. There are some brush lines from the gesso layers, but no weave at all.

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Trip Overholt's avatar

You did a beautiful job creating space around the flower. Not an easy thing to pull off.. I like the affirmation of doing things just because. Its helpful.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

Thank you, Trip.

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Tess Parker's avatar

Physics is a bit like painting, for the your eyes have to tell your brain to shut up bit. Trying to visualise multidimensional functions, for one. I don’t know why my brain insists on trying.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

When I’m doing calculus III homework I open geogebra and map things out. Beyond three dimensions, it’s hopeless.

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Alexa Woodward's avatar

I love that you are studying physics! Physics is basically real magic. Beautiful reflection.

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Jonathan Byrd's avatar

It really is. I feel like I’m learning magic.

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