Value the process

A workshop assignment, “Melting Colors” - sounded easy enough. It was one of our first paintings and my first time ever using acrylics. My paint was ready, sponges and Q-Tips in hand, when all the sudden a flood of negative thoughts crashed in on me; These colors aren’t blending the way I want. How are we suppose to paint if we can only use a sponge and a Q-Tip? I don't have any control! These thoughts were followed by...Auugh...her painting is so much better than mine. Am I doing it right? This looks horrible! Apparently ALL my “committee members” are alive and well and decided to pay me a visit right then and there! It was an eye-opening experience. What did I learn that evening? First, there sure is a lot of chatter going on in my head! It was hard for me to surrender to the process and relax. I am a “result oriented” not “process oriented” person. I wanted clear instructions, a sense of control, plenty of feedback and lots of affirmation. I also realized, if left unchecked- my chatty committee members are capable of completely sabotaging even a simple 30 minute art project! YIKES. Not a pretty sight. This beginner art lesson (and the others that were soon to follow) would teach me the value of going through “the process".

Class Assignment- "Melting Colors"

"Usually when we say we can't do something, what we mean is we won't do something unless we can guarantee that we'll do it perfectly. When we are willing to accept that anything worth doing, might be worth doing badly...our options widen! If you didn't have to do something perfectly....what would you try?"

Julia Cameron, The Complete Artist's way