Why I Keep Starting Over

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve painted over a canvas. Some of them carry ten or more lives beneath the surface — ghosts of older paintings whispering through the cracks. I used to hate that about myself, the constant restarting. It felt like I was chasing something I couldn’t catch.

But starting over isn’t failure. It’s renewal. Each time I destroy a painting, I’m giving it another chance — and giving myself one too. What I’ve learned is that every false start sharpens intuition. Every erasure teaches something about letting go. I keep starting over because creation is never final; it’s a rhythm, a pulse. It’s how I stay honest with the work — and with myself.

“Developed through a collaborative process between the artist and AI (ChatGPT), then refined through personal editing and intuition.”