Skip to main content

Painting & the Art of Balance

Have you ever tried to balance anything such as standing on one foot, or holding a cup full of tea on a saucer while walking quickly, or 2 dates in one evening...? Tough stuff, right? I find a challenge in balancing my time so I can paint.

O.K. so I don't have copywrites to that issue, but it's still a struggle. Local artist Robert Genn regularly address this complaint in his bi-weekly newsletter. His suggestions often include the direct approach such as prioritize. And he's right. For me I believe that prioritizing is a huge challenge. Because my livelihood is currently not dependent on my painting, it falls under the category of "hobby". And, between my family, work, and standard house-hold duties, personal time is limited.

So why I am bitchin' about this? Well basically because it's my blog and I can. Additionally because I am reflecting on what's real and what am I putting up as barricades & excuses.

Lately I have taken a different approach to investing in my "hobby". I have reviewed what other personal interests I have prioritized over painting such as going to bed slightly early in order to read. Of course there is a strong argument for the restorative experiencing of relaxing in bed, but there is an equally strong one for the restorative experience of creatively expressing. And I am choosing that path more often.

When I paint I feel a release of energy, of joy, of need escape my body. I feel proud of myself, excited by the results of my efforts and connected to my innate creativity and talents. I can go to sleep knowing I have nurtured my soul by honouring what it craves to share. My goal is to continue on this path which will ultimately result in a new show... I guess I better get back to it! Please send me your supportive thoughts to keep me on track!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Picture-perfect Idea

When I last spoke of the Anonymous Art Show that I participated in back in Nov. 2011, I neglected to note a detail that really stood out for me. On the main wall near the entrance, the organizers hung a large canvas wrapped with all the names of the contributing artists. I was proud as punch to see my name included in print among the over 400 other talented souls who participated in the annual event. It's a small thing, one's name typeset amongst so many others, but it spoke in a large way to me. It said that my work is valuable to this organization; it's appreciated, acknowledged, and recognized. And that feels great. So if you find yourself in need of a creative way to express thanks to your contributors at an event, this may just be the final touch you need.

Starbucks saved my marriage

In early February I was still greatly enamoured with my Christmas "urchin" necklace ( see Jan 20th posting). I put it on daily feeling extra warm and fuzzy with the knowledge that my guy had showered me with such a special gift of love. And then I lost it. I mean I physically lost my necklace. One morning, apparently the clasp wasn't fully closed, the chain released and the necklace slipped off of my neck. I was beside myself with sickness; and my better-half was using all of his energy to restrain anger-based comments from exiting his mouth. Pulling my emotions together, I retraced my steps multiple times, posted LOST signs around the neighbourhood and sent out a lot of gratitude vibes hoping a Kind Soul would return it to me.  One very long day later we received a call from a Kind Soul. A fellow Starbucks regular found my necklace on the floor near the coffee bar! English isn't his first language so he didn't know how to go about finding the necklace...

Retro Illustrations

I am absolutely crazy about retro illustrations. Specifically late 1950s through 1960s. I love the colour-ways, the loose illustrative approach and equally loose print registration. I recently tripped across this site, Uptown Avenue , that showcases a few samples. Great, eh? Admittedly I have confiscated a few books that friends have given our 2 year old that have super illustrations in them. I'm not proud of that. And I do periodically take them out to read to her. Don't judge me : ) Anyway, this is just a quick note to introduce you to these works in case you hadn't noticed them before. Enjoy!