What the heck does that statement really mean? I love my towels so why would I want to throw them in and where does that statement lead us to believe? I throw towels in the washer and then the dryer. I have seen my kids and grand kids throw them on the floor, but I have also heard this statement from those that are tired of fighting what they see as an endless battle to get ahead, progress beyond the point they are at and loosing faith that things are out of their control.

In my estimation I have been to the point of “Throwing in the Towel” and sometimes I threw it after many years of wasted time trying to make things work. In reality time was not wasted, but lessons were learned even thought at the moment of throwing we don’t realize it.

I am an artist and I make art and I make art in hopes of selling. With that said, I know that Art is not like going to the store and purchasing functional furniture, clothing or food. It is more like a luxury item, something that is pleasing to the eye, mind and soul. It can not sustain life, give us a place to live or keep us healthy. It can make us happy.

I paint for me first, which makes me happy and in return for the happiness it helps keep me mentally balanced and on rare occasions it causes me some frustrations. I can deal with that. But the highlight of my hours of painting is what asks if the painting is for sale because they want to buy it. Then is when I am thankful that I did “Throw in the Towel”

Be thankful and grateful for what is in your life, work through the rough times and feel blessed.

We all need a break now and again. I just took mine. I enjoy my company and no online anything.

When we take breaks our mind gets a rest from all that technology moving at high speed and has time to rest. How often do you do this for the sake of rest and relaxation?

I am refreshed and found that the painting I started last night came out better than I could have hoped for…new thoughts, new learning with clear, rested mind and eyes.

Take a ME day and do something just for you. Pamper yourself for a change, enjoy visiting a friend, go to lunch just because you can.

I am getting ready for an Art Sale on April 24th of my older Watercolor. This will be held on my business page, link is at the bottom of the page. Size of paintings is on them. You can also click on the Nav Tab at the top of the page “Art Sale” to preview the Art.

Back tomorrow with more conversation.

This could be an interesting analogy since life usually never flows smooth, but depending on what paint you use, me I use watercolor, may or may not flow uncontrollably or just stay put and not move at all.

Let’s think about Life first. For me I am in my “Golden Years” to be very truthful I haven’t seen a whole lot of Golden so far, but that is another issue altogether.  I can look back on all the crazy, stupid stuff I did, but at the time it did seem stupid or crazy. I put my life as my many paths that have led me to where I am now. Some I traveled uneventfully, but there were those that had pebbles, rock and boulders that caused me to trip, walk around and then the boulders made me chose which way to go.  The choices either helped me move forward in my life or they set me back to reevaluate my choices.

The paint I use now, Watercolor, reminds me that it is allot like life. To much water and they run all over the place, not enough water, they just sit there and that is where the choices come into play. Do I add to the paint, how much do I add to the paint? It is trial and error with this paint, allot like life. We all know right from wrong, but we test the waters between the two more often than not. With watercolor I do pretty much the same. I test drops at a time…

I would rather test the flow of the paint now because the mistakes are easier to fix. Life is an adventure so before testing your choices know the repercussions of the wrong choice.

Paint, unstress, make Happy mistakes because they are easier to live with.

Blessed and grateful

As an artist I belong to many groups that deal with Art and I am finding that many people that are just beginning their journey in Art feel very intimidated by those that have painted for years and are considered professionals. I can understand this completely because I was there in the beginning of my journey.

It was very hard to share my art for the first time because I was a beginner and no where near as good as the person that had worked hard day after day learning and finding their style. I had to step back and realized that I hadn’t paid my dues yet. I hadn’t worked hard and practiced, learned or asked enough questions then practiced more. I hadn’t taken time to look at where I wanted to go with this Art. I also had to realized that there were beginners that had a natural given gift of talent at very young ages, but they too had to work at developing their style.

Art, like Life, doesn’t come without hard work. It is not, most of the time, given freely without Working for it. Success comes with hours of failures which are Lessons to be learned from and without the failures there can never be Successes.

Be a learner and a hard worker. Don’t let your age get in the way, keep learning and taste the Success of whatever you are wanting to do..

Today I stepped way out of my comfort zone and did a very deep thinking Abstract. Used mediums that you usually put together in one painting and learned how to get some texture going one..

Watercolor and acrylic…what a mix, but it worked. The abstract held together and that makes me happy.

You are only held in your comfort zone by your own choice to be there..step out and experience something new..

So how does the mind of a Creative work? What is a Creative?

To answer this all you need to do is look around you. Artwork, repurposers, sign makers, Quilters, bakers, chefs, the list goes on and on. Creatives brains never stop think of the next project. We eat and sleep designing something. We converse with other Creatives and figure out what is Trending in the online stores…

It is exhausting to be a Creative, but if you ask one if they would do anything else that answer would probably be No.

We are all learning new ways to do things, new designs, how to improve on what we do and hope that it will sell.

Support these people because most are hometown business. Products are better made and the person who made it will stand behind their work.

Happy Friday evening.

Asked myself this question this morning and the answer I have come up with is “uncertainty.” So what does that mean? I think it means I am still in the discovery zone of Me.

I was asked a question by a much more knowledgeable artist than myself about what part of my art is truly me? I couldn’t answer it…this artist wasn’t trying to be mean, but he was trying to make me think. So think I did most of the night. This morning it dawned on me that truly nothing I paint reflects who I am. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I have painted because they have all challenged me and taught me so many things, but not what is important about being me..

Bright colors, texture and abstract, that is me. I figured that I can do abstract in some ways and still be on the edge of realism. That is my challenge now..

Life isn’t all cut and dried, it has hills and valleys, cracks in the road and those are what make us who we are…embrace who you truly are and run with it.

Have you every had that feeling when you are talking to someone about something important and you ask them for an opinion that you can almost hear the wheels clicking and the thoughts they are thinking is whats in it for me?

I am finding harder and harder to trust others, which is not good, to help me get through a problem with out this underlying feeling they now what something for their advice. I always express my thanks and my appreciation for what they do offer, but won’t ask again. Is that wrong? I have always been advised by my very smart Dad, that you need to listen to your gut feelings and not your heart. Well he had never steered me wrong and I miss him because I now have to take everything he taught me and put it to work.

How do you read people? Are you the trusting soul that get sucked in by others or have you learned to trust your gut feeling?

Ponder that for awhile and be honest with yourself when finding the answer.

This Quote is much of the problems that Artist suffer through because as an Artist we are our worse critic. We are the only ones that see what we consider flaws, mistakes, color is wrong, people aren’t going to like it, etc,

I paint to please me first and I use subjects and colors that make me happy, but I have had to learn that trying to make it perfect ends up making the painting look overworked. Learning to stop is the hardest thing to do.

Life is much the same when we try to please everyone all the time. We end up overworking and under enjoying people and life.

Life is a blank canvas try opening up the paint, stand back and throw it to just enjoy the beauty of color mixing and landing. Then live with the beauty that you have created.

I am a benefactor of Art and the Health of my Mental Health.

Being a caregiver to my late husband for many years causes stress, not that I wouldn’t do it again in a heartbeat, but stress nonetheless. You become isolated from the thing you use to do and the people you were involved with as a couple.

The daily routines are repetitive and you can do them in your sleep. You loose you in the routine. There are fears of making a mistake which cause high levels of stress. I was advised over and over again that I needed to take of Me as well as my husband and I needed to make some choices that would help break the binds of this stress. I made the choice to ART.

This choice to ART not only helped me level out the stress, but engaged my husband to get involved in something different. He became my biggest cheerleader and art critic.

After his death I was lost. No more routines and that leaves you very empty. Then it struct me that my art promoted calm and wonderful memories of our time together in a different form. It was a blessing and I dove head first into some serious painting.

I found this article that pretty much says it all. Explains Art and Mental Health. Growing health brains and using Art to stimulate that health.

Be Brain Fit-Benefits of Art I hope you find it as beneficial as I did.