Art therapy

I've started painting. I'd toyed for some time with the idea of dabbling with paint and canvas, not in any serious capacity, but as a hobby. The original idea was to try my hand at abstract stuff, not ever having had any talent for drawing; I figured it would be a good stress reducer -- it was about time I found a new hobby -- and that I might actually end up with a painting or two that might look good on my walls.

I've been at it for nearly two months now, and I've been surprised at how much I enjoy it. There is something deeply satisfying about sitting at my dining room table in the evenings with the stereo or TV on, and experimenting with different images and techniques (you only realize just how talented the impressionists were when you try to replicate what they did with colour), and having finished products that aren't half bad. They're not half good either, but I have produced a few things I've been happy to put on my walls.

I've also discovered a few things:
(1) people are reaaaaaaaaaaally hard to paint
(2) I quite enjoy, and am actually fairly good at, painting fish
(3) abstract expressionism is harder than you'd think
(4) living in Newfoundland stimulates the impulse to paint landscapes
(5) I have a bias toward compositions that juxtapose unlike elements
(6) buying painting supplies can become addictive

Anyway, here are a few of the pieces I'm happy with.