Today, the guest artist is Lisa Darya and she has painted every day for 4,000 days. Yep, you heard me right. Let's get started. So today, the guest artist is Lisa Darya. Lisa Darya has painted for 4,000 days straight. Just think about that for a minute. 4,000 days. I paint a lot. But there are definitely days that I don't. And I just found it astonishing and don't know that there is another person on the planet who has painted every day for 4,000 days. I mean, it's just so remarkable. But I'm going to read you a little bit about why she painted for 4,000. Why she painted? She's, I think, 4,000 and 10 now. Nothing's stopping her. But anyways, she writes, I mark each day with a painting. And after 4,000 days, including Christmas, I have no intention of stopping. Painting for me is a physical act of being able to leave proof that I was there. Having cancer as a young adult, I discovered living is not just surviving. I wanted a way to embrace each day, no matter how typical. So without excuse or hesitation, I begin each day by painting. The small intimate paintings of ordinary everyday subjects. Reflect an optimism that outlasts the fleeting light and fragile objects. The paintings create a structural framework of self-preservation. Each of these daily exercises is a vital component of the project's ongoing infinite progression. So what she is clearly saying here is that for her, painting is living. Painting is breathing in. Painting is breathing out. It's not separating painting from any other, what we would consider, daily activities like making dinner or brushing our teeth. I don't mean to trivialize it because she clearly is doing these paintings for her own, for her own self and for us as well. And that her soul is so clear in each one of these works. She's not dialing it in, but her reason for painting is just so extremely authentic and important that I think it gives the paintings even more weight. I don't see them as daily paintings. I see them as her life's blood and such a gift to us. So looking at these paintings, you could see what 4,000 days of painting straight can do for your ability to get loose. And you couldn't be looser than Lisa is. And yet she stays right at that edge, right at that edge between what is realistic, meaning you could still recognize these forms as flowers or we're going to see some others that are not flowers. She goes from recognizable forms to almost abstract. And most people will look at the world or themselves as a painter as being the abstract painter or a painter that paints things that are realistic or forms that we recognize. She stays right on that nice edge of in between those two worlds. And I can't think of too many other painters that do that. I can think of some historic painters that do that, but I'm not sure that I know of a contemporary painter that does that. So she sort of will deconstruct something and then your eye is left to complete the painting in your own mind and also decide for yourself how you're going to feel about it emotionally. I tend to look at her paintings as if they're songs or notes of music. Some are quiet, some are loud, some whisper, some meow. I can't even explain it, but for me there is definitely music that accompanies her forms. I'm sure I'm imagining that in my own head, but it works for me. Here are some of the paintings of things you will recognize as more realistic forms and what we typically will see in a still life. But she's still bringing that same sort of style that she has in terms of looseness to this. When you see at least a Darya painting, you only have to see maybe a quarter of it if you're scrolling along and you know it's hers. Her signature style, I see people sometimes try to copy it because I'm sure we're all influenced by it. I'm sure I am. But I haven't seen anybody who can even come close to creating this seemingly spontaneous burst that she produces day after day after day. I mean, it's so astounding that I actually have to sit down and think to myself, what is there anything I've done for 4,000 days? Because every day other than the essentials of staying alive, I'm not sure. Her commitment is unwavering and it is so appreciated. And I think anybody who can own a piece of work and I'll put the links below so that you can own a piece of her work. And they're affordable and worth every penny. I know I have someone for work, so my collection and I wouldn't consider my collection complete without one of her works. She is a one of a kind. I don't think that she will be duplicated anytime soon. So enjoy Lisa's paintings. You can see her in various places. Like I said, I'll put the links below. Remember to keep the white, your paper white, your paint sweat, mass or value, mixed with color. Please remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel and thank you Lisa for letting me share your work. See you next time. Bye-bye.