Sometimes you forget

Sometimes you get to do something you enjoy so often that you forget why you fell in love with it in the first place.  It becomes rather routine, and it takes a fresh set of eyes to make you realize how lucky you are to pursue your passion.

I realized this just recently when I agreed to teach two friends how to paint.  Neither of them had EVER taken an art class (or so they claim)  - so we were starting at ground zero.  I decided to start them off with a simple still life so we could discuss composition, color, drawing techniques, etc.  I found myself surprised that what seems to come naturally to me, was not so instinctive to them - how to mix colors, how to see shadows,  how to judge proportions.  Now, these gals are mega successful business women and über smart and I am no Rembrandt, let's just get that straight.  So, it was a real shock to me to find that perhaps I actually had developed a skill, a talent, a gift that others don't automatically have.  Hmmpfh,  besides doing the laundry, packing lunches, and my generally charming personality - I have something to offer the world!  Imagine that.

The other thing that delighted me was that I had forgotten how two people can be looking at the exact same thing and interpret it completely differently.  I remember in art school how fun it was to look at everyone's life drawings and see the same model in each drawing - only slightly different.

So, my girlfriends who had never done this before, made these two amazing paintings - each totally different in style and technique and each a lot like their personalities.  One was very bold and daring and used gobs of paint; the other very delicate and precise, using the smallest brush and correcting every "mistake'.   Take a look for yourself at their handiwork.

To witness their excitement as they mixed colors together and their paintings came to life was thrilling.  Besides a fun night with my friends, it was great to see them step out of their comfort zones and try something new. It was also a great shot in the arm to remember how much I enjoy painting and how lucky I am to be able to do it and even try to share it with others.  I think I'm looking forward to lesson two more than they are!

Christy