Art in the Right Perspective

I started painting not too long ago. I have never considered myself an artistic person and it was something new to try. Over the years, I have attempted to be that crafty person and failed miserably. In fact, cooking is the only thing I have really taken pride in. There have been multiple times that I have gone to craft parties or tried to do something for the holidays as tender precious gifts for the ones I love. They have all landed in the garbage and a trip to the store or online shopping was close behind. I have such a respect for Amazon Prime. It has saved Christmas many times.

So here I am in my 44^th year on this planet and somehow I decided it was time to pick up a paint brush. The first attempt was sitting at the dining room table with my mom and a YouTube video on how to paint a rock garden. I get my amazing ability to avoid crafty things from her. We are both so critical of ourselves that I am surprised the canvas didn’t end up in the garbage halfway through. We laughed and cried and both judged the product before the process was complete. In the end, it turned out okay. The problem for both of us is that we have an expectation of what it should look like and when creating something, we both struggle with patience. After that night and first piece, I was hooked. The challenge and escape was all I needed to keep trying. It is not my passion, but, I have found a challenging hobby.  A couple paintings in and I tried something when I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I had a lot going on and could not relax. I couldn’t follow the video and became frustrated. I threw that one away and wondered if I had jumped too quickly into this new endeavor.

This last week was very busy for me and I decided to relax after work yesterday. I wasn’t in the mood to be social and pulled out some paint and canvas. It was the perfect way to end the week. As I started to paint, I thought a lot about life and what I would write for my blog this weekend. I haven’t written in over a week and as I told a friend, most of the time, I sit down to write when inspiration strikes and just start typing. 

I woke up this morning at 5am to that inspiration and here we are. Here are some of the things I have learned by picking up a paint brush. When we are in front of a canvas and applying color as instructed, the perspective we have is so different. We can’t see the way it will all come together and we have to trust the process. If you create something and step away from it, when you come back to it, you see it from a completely different perspective. We have to apply that concept to life. It is no different. When we are in a situation and are tied so closely to it, we stop seeing the big picture and the perspective changes. Perhaps we get caught up in the way we think it should look and frustrated when it doesn’t evolve into that expectation. That is the best time to move away from it, take a break, and come back to it. I promise that view will be completely different.

A couple of paintings ago, I tried to paint something and when I looked at it, I didn’t like it. So, I took white paint and basically erased the entire section to do it over. We have the opportunity to do that every day. If you don’t like the way the paint looks on your canvas, erase that shit and start over. You can do that anytime you want. You don’t have to settle for anything that makes you unhappy. There is no rule book that says, “Well that’s the path Karri took so she has to stay there like it or not.” We receive no point deduction in the game of life for a redo or fresh start. I have had this discussion many times throughout the years with all different types of people. Life is a constant evolution. We outgrow situations, jobs, and even relationships that once seemed to be the right fit for us. It is all about your perspective.

If I was to sit down and assume that after a few videos and practice, my paintings would be as good as the great artists, I would be sadly disappointed. My expectation would hinder my progression every time. Often in life, we step into that same pattern and are let down. We fail to see our strengths and contribution and focus on the gaps or short comings in ourselves and each other. That is not okay. If you can release expectations and realize that you are an original work of art, each day will be a new opportunity to move in the right direction. You cannot judge your work by another’s. If you embrace your strengths, you will see everything that you are and that realization is the gateway to a happier life.

I am going to keep painting and maybe I will get better. Right now it is a fun way to relax and explore something new. Most importantly, I am going to remember these lessons and apply them to my own life. I challenge you all to do the same. Pick up your own paintbrush and make your life a masterpiece.