A retrospective reflection written in October 2026 · Revisiting old work
An old painting is a strange thing. You remember what you were trying to say when you made it, even when you no longer want it on your wall.
I've been looking at older canvases and asking new questions. Is this piece finished? Is it worth saving? Could it become something else entirely? Sometimes the answer is to leave it alone. Sometimes it's to pick up the brush again.
I like the idea that an artwork doesn't have to stay frozen at the moment it was first painted. Layers can be added. Pieces can be cut apart and used in collage. Something that didn't feel right years ago might turn into a favorite detail today.
There's a little freedom in giving myself permission to change my mind. I don't have to preserve every painting just because I once made it. And I don't have to throw everything away because it belongs to an earlier chapter. I can choose what comes with me.
My boyfriend and my kids have encouraged me as I've revisited paintings that have been sitting around for years. Some of those pieces carry memories, and it isn't always easy to decide whether to keep them, paint over them or turn them into collage.
What I love about abstract painting is that a piece can have a second life. An area of color that once seemed like a mistake can become the best part of a new composition. I'm learning that changing a painting isn't the same as erasing its history.
A few of my friends have encouraged me to give these old pieces a second look rather than dismissing them. Having supportive people around me makes the experiments a little less intimidating.
— Jaime