LETTING GO OF PRECIOUS

When I am in the throes of painting or writing, I can become so enamored of what I've created that I don't always see what needs to be fixed. I put the work down and walk away. I need fresh eyes. I need to listen to those gut feelings that tell me something isn't right. I need to question my certainty. 

I need to let go.

A one-layer painting

Recently I signed up for a painting challenge with Andrea Chebeleu from A Work of Heart Studio. She asked us to produce an abstract painting each day for 20 days. Usually, when I paint abstractly, I put paint to paper and find the results just fine. With the painting fresh, I often see parts of it that I really like. I want to stop right there. I don't want to lose that precious piece. This time though, Andrea challenged us to layer our paintings. The results surprised me because the new painting was just as satisfying, better or worse maybe, but a good exercise in letting go of what, in the moment, seems so precious.

Layer # one

Many layers later

I attended a Zig Ziglar seminar a long time ago. I came away from the event with one quote that I remember to this day, 

"If you learn one thing at a meeting or seminar, the meeting has been a success."

I remembered that quote when Andrea recommended adding sticky circles to areas in a painting. I tried several neon pink sticky circles, a color I wouldn't normally use. I painted over the circles, added stencils, patterns, dots, brush strokes, and then rubbed some areas of paint with baby wipes. Rubbing slightly damp paint off of other layers of dry paint makes for interesting layers and changing colors. I stepped back and liked how the neon pink showed through still. I wondered how I had mixed that shade of pink and then remembered the neon pink circles hidden by new layers. I decided to peel off part of the circle, leaving some of the pink in the painting.

Neon Pink

I loved the result, even though one of the circles broke a basic design rule when I placed it in the middle of the painting. My attention was immediately drawn to it, but then my eyes started wandering all over the painting. I added another pink circle for balance. Now I need to set the painting aside for a few days to see if my creative love will stay or if I will recognize other parts that need work.

This need to work and rest is so important to me in both art and writing. In the moment of creativity, I love what I am doing. Sometimes what results is worth loving, but other times it is just my impulse to save something that becomes precious. 

In my first blog post of the year, Unfinished Year 2020, I originally wrote the piece with the paragraph about Carmel at the end. I knew instinctively that the paragraph was the most important part of the essay, but I wasn't ready to change it. It wasn't until a couple of days later, that my impression was validated. Several people in my writing group suggested that the paragraph belonged at the beginning.

Letting go of creative preciousness is a good lesson for me to learn.

Check our A Work of Art Studio here: 

https://www.aworkofheart.com/studio/

And please remember President Biden's words: "We shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. An American story of decency and dignity. Of love and of healing. Of greatness and of goodness…. The story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history. We met the moment. That democracy and hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch but thrived.”

And read, once again, Amanda Gorman's inauguration poem, a great example of re-working a piece of writing:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/amanda-gorman-inaugural-poem-transcript/index.html

Two good, timely essays to read:

Eric Rhoads, an artist and publisher, writes about Suspending Belief

https://coffeewitheric.com

John Pavlovitz, a thoughtful, insightful writer, he has a great perspective about America:

https://johnpavlovitz.com