On Aging

New painting / Give me shadows and spackle and mood

“Aging” @britchida 2026 // New Art print for July Patreon

I’m going for texture, for detail.
I don’t want a round smooth face that looks like my parents when they were babies.
I want to look like me.
I want the imprint of my life,
of my reaction to this life.
Give me crinkle, tinsel and groove.
Give me shadows and spackle and mood.

celebrating my 40th with our puppy Billie, an age she finds incomprehensible

I made this piece as meditation on being with my body as it keeps changing. It’s so out of my control! It’s an experience of finding out. It’s not about being timeless, but full of more and more time; every day stacking up practice at being myself and seeing the world as it is. Being marked up by things, being part of things, each in my own way. Keeping my hunger. Lifting what is heavy. Allowing suffering to be here. Not holding on to who I am think I am just based on who I’ve been before. Still now: finding out. And whenever possible: embrace.

“New Art” print reward // Sign up for a print here

I am making this painting into the ‘New Art’ print for Patreon members this month. It will come in two sizes, with or without a sticker. Fri, July 31 midnight is the cutoff if you’d like one. Sign up here.

love,
Brit

ps. Below is a process video for a study I did for this piece. By the time I was making the final version I was in the flow and had long since stopped filming. (Here’s another look into my lengthy process.)