I have always taken for granted that my life informs my art. The more I paint, the more aware I become of how much my art informs my life. Here are a few of the life skills that I have learned from painting over the years.

Risk-taking.

Once I embrace the mindset that “it is only a piece of paper,” it is easy for me to take chances and try new things. Whether the outcome is successful or not, I always learn something when I attempt a new technique, subject, or medium. The outcome often surprises, excites, and energizes me. 

Suspending judgement.

It is very easy, but not necessarily productive, to listen to the critical voices in my head while I am early in my painting process. The author Elizabeth Gilbert likens fear and creativity to cojoined twins. She disregards the advice to “be fearless” saying that the only people who are fearless are two-year-olds and psychopaths. She suggests to acknowledge fear and accept that it is along for the ride but not in control. For me, the fear often shows up as self-judgement. My creative process benefits when I can acknowledge the urge to judge what I am doing and then put it aside.

Staying in the moment.

For me, this means paying attention to what distracts me and being willing to trust my impulses. I do this by watching what the medium is doing or asking myself where the process is leading me rather than trying to impose my will on the artwork.

Showing up. Thinking about painting, scrolling through videos of other people paintings, or even reading blog posts like this will only help so much. Nothing pushes me further in my creative journey than spending the time putting paint to paper. I need to make time for my art and myself even if I am not in the mood.

Wishing you happy and art-ful holidays.

I’d love to hear if any of these lessons resonate with you. 

Marilyn

P.S. If you need a holiday gift, for yourself or an art-lover in your life, I offer gift certificates for classes, commissions, and paintings. I’d love to give you a personal tour of my studio and work, either virtually or in person by appointment.

©2024 Marilyn Rose  Marilynroseart.com