FAILURE?

Lately, I've read on several artist's blogs of the struggles and frustrations they experience trying to gain expertise at their craft.  It is quite easy to become discouraged when over and over and over again, you fail to create on the canvas the vision you have in you mind.

Stapleton Kearn's writes:  "  Painting should get harder for you rather than easier.  The better you get at it, the harder it will be."

I have found that to be quite true.

Of course, as  you increase in skills, your expectations should also increase.

That said, I must also say that for me as my frustration level has increased over time, so has my joy.

I am more excited and enthralled by the process of applying paint to a canvas now than I have ever been before.

My intent has never been to become a master.  I want to get better, yes, and I work very hard to do that.  But most of all, I believe I am simply addicted to the joyful bliss that I feel when I paint.

If someone else is touched in some way, by any painting I've done, that is the icing on an already yummy cake!

Recently, a friend e-mailed me a photo of her lilacs in bloom last summer.  That picture stirred a wonderful memory from my childhood.

In our front yard was a magical lilac bush.  It was a really big one and the trunks grew in such a way that I was able to crawl right inside that bush and sit comfortably.  The scent of lilacs can to this day, send me straight into a state of happiness which I haven't words to describe.

Caren's picture set off such a strong memory that I just had to try to paint that lilac bush in front of our house in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

I put in the enormous, old cottonwood trees which grew in a line across the alley in back of our home.

I put in the little Blue Spruce tree.

I put in the lilac bush, right in front.

And, I put in our house. 

That part was a complete failure as I got the proportions of the house all wrong.

This was one of my 'quickie' paintings.  I don't think there's any way I can fix the problem, but I am considering giving it another try...this time, with a photo of our house to guide me.

Instead of being discouraged, I was just thrilled to be able to lose myself in those childhood memories.

Thank you, Caren!

So, even if a painting is a 'failure' it can also be a 'success.'

I guess it all depends on how you look at  it.

I choose to have gratitude for every moment I am blessed to be able to dance with my brush!

Dear friends, I wish for you to find whatever it is which fills you with mad, passionate, delirious JOY and I urge you to give yourself permission to do that very thing!