Painting 99 (101 is too advanced for me)

A few things I've learned as I paint for the first time since kindergarten:

• Big brushes cover more space than, say, small brushes.
• When you mix colors and run out of that mix, it's hard to recreate it; best to make a lot.
• There are no lines to paint inside or outside of; I get to create my own lines.
• When a color is gone, that color is gone until you buy more paint.
• Size your painting to the canvas; it does not shrink to fit.
  
• I can create beauty, even in a mess of paint.
• Bristles fall right out of cheap brushes.
• Light colors do not hide a charcoal sketch.
• Jackson will bark every time I need a steady hand.
• What ends up on the canvas looks nothing like what was in my head.
• It's okay to suck at painting, at least I'm willing to learn.
• Wear comfy shoes if you stand on a hardwood floor; sore piggies are no good for creativity.
• No matter how much he tries, don't let the cat help you.

Here's the first of my paintings, which is related to my coaching practice:


I used a brush that was really small because I forgot that I bought a larger set of brushes. But the extra time painting the background gave me a chance to lose myself in the brush strokes. I forgot to paint around the light at the top of the lighthouse, and was crushed at the thought of ruining my first painting. Until I realized that I could just paint over the red with white, and that the effect of the brush fade worked perfectly to show the fading light at the end of its reach. I didn't realize I'd have so much space left once I finished the logo, so I improvised by adding my company name and tag line. Divine intervention, I guess.

What I love about this painting is that I did everything wrong and it came out perfect. Critically, I'm sure it's a mess, but I learned so much about painting, and about patience, and not being attached to an outcome. I'm working on my second piece, and I have been able to exercise what I've learned so far, as well as pick up a few new tricks.

The creative space of painting is so much different than the creative space of writing. As I'm coming to the end of 7 Days I'm finding that I need more and more space from it. Finishing the book is an intense process, and if I don't step away for a minute or 90, I can't see the forest for the trees. I've been allowing my brain to shift and think on different levels, so when I come back to writing I have a fresh perspective. It's working brilliantly.

As for the book, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. And it no longer looks like a train.