It's been 10 years since I painted the Sock Dragon. It was the painting that launched a theme of work from me that became "The Modern Dragon". I wanted to revisit this painting to see what I would change after all this time.
In these 10 years I have had the pleasure of collaborating with amazing people who have pushed me to grow, helped me see things differently and improve as an artist. I remember completing this painting in 2011 and being so proud of it, and thinking it was awesome. Which is fine I guess. It's good for artists to enjoy their work, it's unhealthy to get into a mindset of loathing your work. However I was quite shocked when I was done with this paintover. All the little things that I just could not see when I first painted it have added up to a hopefully much better result. I say hopefully not because I don't believe it is a better result but because I know that perhaps in another 10 years (If the world is still turning then, and I am still here.) I will look at this updated 2021 painting with similar amazement. I am painfully aware that there are things that could be better that I currently am blind to. Some may have improved more in ten years, others less, I can only be the best me.
So thank you my fellow art friends who I have worked with over these many years.