Have you ever noticed that the process of art making can teach us about life living? If you think about it, it makes sense. After all, life itself is a creative process. We are forever creating – we may just not be aware that this is what we are doing. From moment to moment, our thoughts, words and actions create our life experiences. Art lessons can not only enhance our creative output, but they can also serve as a springboard to consciously create the life we desire.
Today’s Lesson: Be Bold
Commit to what ever it is you want to create. Put your heart into it. Do not concern yourself with the opinions of others. Be yourself, stand out from the crowd. Be BOLD!
I remember a drawing assignment I had back as an undergrad. Our homework one week was to draw coat hangers using charcoal. Sounded simple enough. I got home, organized a nice still life of coat hangers and began to draw. First I used a hand made view finder to find a good composition and get the placement of everything right. Then I started sketching it out using the lightest hand I possibly could with the dark black material.
Unfortunately, the rule of perspective seemed against me that day. No matter how many times I tried, I just could not get those lines to look like the perfect coat hangers I was trying to create. I was NOT feeling this assignment. After drawing for what felt like years – and in reality was probably hours – I was fuming with frustration. I was angry with myself for not getting it right, not being perfect. I’m sure all you other artists have never experienced this, so just try to understand the feeling.
In a moment of pure passion I threw my perfectly piled still-life across the room. Grabbed a clean sheet of paper. Used a single line in the BOLDEST darkest mark I could make and drew one coat hanger on the page. Then I did another page just like this and then a third. I cut the three coat hangers out and mounted them on a black art-board. In the moment I didn’t even care anymore about getting a good grade for the project. I just wanted it done.
Well, long story short (ish) my BOLD drawing, that came out of raw emotion, was the most well received drawing in the class. There were other students who managed to get the perspective perfect, the shading just right, the composition flawless. Against the showcase of student drawings though, mine stood out. It had an energy to it that others lacked. I – despite my best efforts to sabotage the drawing – managed to create an engaging work of art.
In life we also have to opportunity to be timid and muted in our expression or we can choose to be BOLD.
May your life be full of expression, color and creativity!
In Love & Blessings,
Jeniffer
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