Being a farmer’s daughter, “Make hay when the sun shines” was always taken literally.  There is nothing worse for a farmer than to have it rain on the hay as it rots quickly once it is cut.  The weather played a huge role during cutting season.  Now, being far away from the farm, this saying means something totally different to me.

Some people say this proverb means, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today”, or “the early bird catches the worm.”  I suppose these would apply to laziness, but to me, it has more to do with your state of mind from the sun factor.

How do you feel on sunny days?  Are you vibrant, energetic, and happy or basically a ball of fire?  How about on a cloudy, grey and dismal day?  Isn’t it quite the opposite of how you feel when the sun is out?  Don’t you just want to sit down to read a book, lazy around the house, or if you are at work, doesn’t it feel like you don’t accomplish much?

I recommend every artist to paint something everyday to see how the weather affects artistic thinking and how much more you can produce on a glorious sunny day versus the cloudy, gloomy one.  If possible, do a painting a day for a few months or a year and keep a log of the weather and what you painted on your calendar.  This gives you the opportunity to see how the weather played a role in your moods and how your varying moods affected your paintings.  It is very interesting to see the results!

Do as much artwork as you can when the sun shines, for I guarantee your artistic rhythms will be at their best. 

As always, feel free to contact me.  I would love to hear your successes.  Thanks.