What made me do it

Yes, I confess, it was my best friend Melissa that "strongly suggested" that I start painting again.  We both play on the laptops, but have come to a conclusion that it was not very gratifying, and that she could crochet instead of doing the computer thing and that I could start painting again.  Well, we get alot of funny looks at the coffee shop that we hang out in, and our table has been dubbed the arts and crafts table.  Melissa does some beautiful work at the crocheting, and may even begin to start selling some things that she makes, like baby sweaters, baby hats, and wonderfully constructed scarfs.  I did ask the manager of the coffee shop if my friend who owns it would like to display some of my work and even price it to sell.  She has told me before that if she sees it first then I can display it.  Now I just need to get some frames and bring it in when she is working during the day.  "Doris has always been very supportive of my painting at her coffee shop, and I think she would love to see more of it.  At least Melissa and I have a great place to spend time doing crafts, and some great coffee to drink while we do it, and it also gives us a chance to talk about the days issues.  Now the big question is what do I paint next?  Hmmm, some more scenery?  Some wild life?  More barns and bridges?  I really don't know yet, but if I see a picture that catches my attention, that may be the next creation.  Some times I look at pictures, and then I paint the aspects that I like about it, rather than just to copy the picture, then I add some things that I like to it to create my own picture.  Sometimes I just start to paint and never really know where it's going to go until I put everything in place.  I paint alot of things from my mind as I see them, so it may not be very acurate.  I do like to work with pictures, at least that way the paintings will have some semblence of reality.  I don't draw them first, I just start painting.  I guess that makes me a not very good artist, but at least now, I'm starting to not really focus on what other people think, but to just do it for the calm that it seems to give me.