"The Rock" 8x12 oil with palette knife

I got up this morning and finished this painting before I started laundry. I like the progress of the ocean in the background and the simple landscape above it.
I am still learning to paint the light instead of painting the subject. This means, I want to paint the light NOT the actual object. I also need to simplify and not add too much detail.
There are good colors in the background and I don't care for the foreground. I keep wanting to jump to the end of the painting rather than lay down the appropriate colors and take my time.
I make up colors which isn't my goal in this process. Once I relax, I am able to see the color.
So here is next painting goal.
1) Relax
2) Lay down the color you see
3) Paint the light not the subject
4) Take a break, stand back and adjust the painting.
5) Have fun!! and repeat 1-5
I think painting in the morning is my best bet so I will be getting up earlier to go outside.
I guess that means I will buy bear pepper mace. Why? I run into a lot of bear when I am out and about. Some people say it is my totem.
I have run into grizzly while I was horseback riding in Montana. Of course, in Yellowstone, I have seen bear from the safe distance of my running vehicle. I have seen a couple while I was exploring Southern Oregon and while driving through Humbolt county quite a few times. I saw two on 101 less then 15 minutes apart from each other. On another occasion there was a cub sitting along side the road. There have been more encounters while driving.
While walking in the woods,I came upon one that was eating and neither of us were happy. I was pretty sure one was following me while I did my daily walk down 101 next to the woods. It sounded like a bear by the way the tree branches were crashing under its gigantic paws. It is amazing. I grew up in the country and never saw bear until the last 10 years. I mean we lived out in the middle of no where and never saw any bear. There were bear all around us.
So, I will start carrying bear mace and bells. Hopefully I won't end up bear poop. You know, the old joke. You know how to identify bear poop because it smells like pepper and has bells it. In my case, it might have oil paint and a palette knife sticking out of it.