Little things, more than usual, either bring me to tears or make me burst out laughing. A neighbor sent me a video of a svelt yogi twisting into amazing positions. The next scene showed an ordinary person attempting the same moves. I guffawed knowing which person was me. I keep reading short essays about first responders, COVID survivors, and the first people to receive the vaccinations. These snippets of life bring me to tears.
I also feel like doing a happy dance lately, a dance to let the vast feelings of relief after 9 months of uncertainty. All that suppressed anger over Trump and COVID-19, being in SIP, and just getting through 2020 is flaring out. But my happy dance is also over an insignificant thing in life. I have one moment of joy just for myself. My happy dance celebrates finally turning the corner in my attempts at watercolor painting. Like I said: a small thing compared to the rest of this year.
I learned a lot from all my instructors who displayed their mastery and styles of watercolor in online classes. I've oohed and aahed and envied their lifelong practice, which developed their abilities far more than I ever will. As I continue to practice though, I am finding my style. I am working with the paints in a way I want to do after struggling with various techniques for the last few years.
This is a moment of gratitude to those instructors who shared their knowledge. I learned about hard and soft edges and painting neighboring shapes from Leslie Wilson. From Ted Nuttall, Michael Reardon, and Michael Holter, I learned about washes, blobs of color, shadows, and drips. From Carolyn Lord, Gary Bukovnik, and Sondra Holtzman, I learned about flat washes inside of shapes. From Brenda Swenson and Cindy Briggs how to organize a travel sketching journal. From Gloria Miller Allen and Julie Pollard, how to do negative painting.
So I'm doing a happy dance in tribute to these artists. I also know that the next time I pick up my paintbrush that I may be back to ground zero again. That's the way creativity wanders. But now I remind myself to slow down, let the paper dry, take a break, walk around the house and come back to add another layer, and not forget about the darks. I think about 2020 and realize that sheltering in place has given me the extra time to move forward in one small part of my life. I think about the instructors who have had to reinvent their classroom space on Zoom and who have suffered financially during this time. I think of those COVID stories that I hope will stay with me and guide me to action to do one small thing for someone else.
In this moment though, I am doing a happy dance.
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https://www.sondraholtzman.com
Your watercolor painting of the flowers is perfect. It has the right amount of detail and color but leaves room for a person's imagination too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tena, for both your kind comments about my painting and for reading my blog. Good cheer in the new year.
DeleteYour watercolors are beautiful, Martha. You are so lucky to have such wonderful mentors! May I say that 2020 has also taught me about hard and soft edges, in myself and others. Much growth can still take place inside four walls.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a year of hard and soft edges, hasn't it? There is hope for 2021 with the arrival of the vaccines. Take care!
DeleteWhat a year. So glad you found time to do something so useful and beautiful. Good work. You must be a quick learner. Nice.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The extra time did make a difference this year. Thanks for reading my blog too.
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