Posts by Angel Ayala

Is perfectionism killing your artistic growth? Instead of trying to make each painting perfect, focus on gaining territory, making work that’s heading in the right direction, even if it’s not quite there yet. Your artistic journey isn’t about one perfect painting; it’s about the sequence of work over your lifetime. Pat yourself on the back…

The most powerful roadmap to your artistic future might be sitting right in front of you. When I was standing in my studio looking at my old SPARK playbooks from three or four years ago, I discovered something profound. These small-format explorations weren’t just practice pieces – they were clues about where I was headed…

When you’re stuck between art that others love and the new direction you want to explore, the answer isn’t to abandon your past work or keep repeating it. Instead, use your artistic history as a roadmap by literally writing down what elements you want to keep moving forward and what you want to leave behind.…

Today, I want to share a trick I use to hang a large painting on the wall by myself. I’m often in the studio alone, which means there’s usually no one around to help with the heavy lifting. Even though I’ve got a big wingspan, reaching across the entire piece is tough. And getting down…

Just wanted to share a little something I’ve been working with in the studio. It’s a super fast, kind of surprising way to shift a painting from bold to subtle. I’ve been using pastels and thick paint in a way that’s giving me some really beautiful results. It’s one of those approaches you wouldn’t normally…

Last week, I shared a shortcut I use to bring energy into a painting fast. Just a few bold moves, and suddenly something starts to happen. But what about after that first burst of momentum? This week, I’m picking up where we left off, taking that same painting and showing what happens after a few…