Speaking isn’t our first form of communication. It takes time to learn to vocalize our thoughts —
to even realize we’re having thoughts!  

Scribbling often comes before speaking. It precedes drawing, painting, and writing, too.

Drawing (refined scribbling), painting, and writing help me verbalize my thoughts and feelings.

I recently read an interview with an artist in which the art critic asked if she considered herself a commercial or fine artist.

Ohmygoodness, the thoughts that ran through my head when I read that question!
I wrote them down to be released so I could resume my own creative journey.

This was a paradigm-shifting moment for me. (You’ll be reading more about paradigms for a while.)

This is the second painting of my Paradigm Shift Series.

 This question felt like the clash of the ancient “starving artist” paradigm and the (I hope) emerging “Living Artist” paradigm.
The one in which we don’t have to starve and die before we’re compensated or recognized for the work that we do.

Why do we insist on creating hierarchies instead of appreciating all things as they are?

Why is one form of art considered “higher” than another? One form of art might be more pleasing to you than another,
and one might have an entirely different purpose than the other.

Art is a form of communication.

Art can set the mood, the tone of your room, office, or home. It can also help connect one room to another.

Presumably, the art you put on your walls is art that you like.

That might seem like a “no-brainer,” but it’s easy to worry that you don’t know enough about art to choose the “right art” for your walls.
Whether it fits with the “décor of the day” is far less important than whether it makes you smile.

Does the image or item bring you joy? Does it tickle your fancy?

Does it pique your curiosity? Does it make you think?

Does it make you hungry (think kitchen or dining area)?

Is the image soothing or energizing? Would it work best in a bedroom or a more active living space?

Do you like the colors, the movement, or the energy in the imagery? Will it help you to feel at home?

Art can affirm something you feel about your life or that you want to feel more of in your life.

Most importantly, do your lips turn up or turn down when you look at the piece in question? 

The point is that you get to choose —
without making anyone else “wrong” in their choice.

Remember, you can always ask the artist for assistance when looking for complementary pieces.

To read more about choosing art for your or office home decor, check out this blog from Redfin.com

https://www.redfin.com/blog/artistic-home-decor-tips/

The first time it happened, I was painting at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

As I lifted a loaded paintbrush to the painting on the easel, my hand suddenly went back to touch the paper towel.  

What?

I hadn’t decided to touch the paper towel, my hand simply did it.

Since that day, my hand often spontaneously releases excess water & paint — apparently, the brush is too full!

This kind of experience is one reason to develop a painting practice.

Another reason is that when your mind is focused on painting, you’re distracted from the daily issues plaguing you.

This level of joyful focus opens you up to receive insight and inspiration for your painting and sometimes even for your life.

My friend, Rebecca calls this phenomenon “epiphany city” — that’s how often it can occur!

Taking a class is a great way to start painting.

Classes both inform and give you permission to set aside time for yourself each week.

 You deserve a “time of your own!”

If you enjoy painting, consider creating a painting practice for yourself.

By deliberately setting aside time to paint once, twice, or more each week, you signal to yourself, and to others, that you deserve a joy-filled life.

By making yourself a priority, you increase self-care, paint more often, and your paintings improve more quickly.

 For best results, schedule your practice ahead of time.
Look at your calendar to decide the best days and times to paint.
If this week is full, look at next week.  

Get started in 15 minutes!

You don’t need a dedicated spot to paint.

Watercolor is easy to set up & fast to clean up.

 Try a few different time slots to see which ones feel best, then commit to this window a few days or weeks in advance.

 Until your practice is a consistent part of life, keep it short, sweet, and regular. 

In the beginning, even if you have the time to paint longer, stick to 15 minutes.

If you increase your painting time too quickly, one day you’ll decide you can’t fit it in. You’ll skip a day and maybe the next. Pretty soon you’ve lost your rhythm and the slippery slope to not painting is paved.

I’ve been there.

The more often you paint, the more rewards you reap.

Sometimes, my hand drifts from the color I’d intended to use to another color on the palette. Imagine my surprise when, instead of blue, I see orange or red show up on my painting.

The first time this happened, I flinched.

Now I figure my painting can benefit from the surprise and I find a way to work with it.

One day, your hand will spontaneously touch the paper towel, or choose a color.

If a hand can receive guidance, and if it can be accepted so easily, maybe you can receive guidance in other areas of life as well.

Maybe the more you trust, the more you can receive.

When you’re focused on painting, you are in a mindful moment.

That’s when inspiration flies in like a breeze, so quickly and lightly that you don’t always realize it’s happened.

In those moments of flow, your batteries are recharged, and your heart & mind are inspired to new levels.

By distracting the thinking part of your brain, you become the observer of all that’s before you and within you. 

In this way, you’re meditating with eyes wide open, allowing the flow of synchronistic happenings to form a new hologram for you to follow.

This is all part of your Inner Wisdom. It’s always here with you, ready to fill you with enthusiasm.

Be playful and light. Wisdom is patient and all-loving. Time is elastic and when you’re ready, your wisdom is here for you. 

While it might seem like a big jump to go from receiving painting inspiration to life inspiration, it’s not.  

Watercolor is a great, patient teacher.

What is needed in a painting can be reflected as what is needed in your daily life.

Does your painting need more dark colors to give it more depth? Or a bright color to add spice?

Does it need to rest before your next painting session?

How about you?

Do you need time for reflection, a rest from all that you’re doing, or maybe a change of pace or of perspective, a little more spice?

Painting is the reason I moved to Hawaii. Painting with Watercolor taught me how to trust the painting process.

I keep learning to trust life.

If watercolor can teach me, it can teach you too!

For years, I was afraid to paint with watercolors!

I’d heard they were unforgiving, that you can’t make mistakes,
and that you have to know what you want to achieve before you begin.

I don’t operate that way, I’m more of a “go with the flow” kind of person.

I learn by doing, too eager to paint to take time to plan.
Which, if you know my origin story, isn’t a surprise.

I moved to Hawaii on June 2, 2000, to begin life as an artist. I’d housesit for a friend for five months and figure everything else out
when I arrived. I sold my house, put everything in storage awaiting my return, and bought a one-way ticket to Honolulu. 

Once inside the tiny garage apartment I cared for, I realized its size necessitated my ditching
my beloved oil paints and learning to paint with watercolor.

It was either that or risk death by fumes.

Fortunately, I met a wonderful teacher who didn’t mind that my paintings didn’t look like anyone else’s.
One night, I laid eight of my paintings on the floor of that tiny apartment and gazed down at them from the bed.

“Well,” I thought, “at least they all look like mine.”

I had no idea the importance of having a signature style, nor did I know how much mine would continue to evolve.

I wasn’t interested in the things we painted during class, but I soaked up the technical information like a sponge.

After class, I painted the flora in the yard I tended in return for my temporary home.

From the start, the colors in Hawaii called to me.

Originally from Wisconsin, I was used to neutral, earth tones.

Hawaii is a land of beautiful, outrageously bright color in the sky, the sea, and across the land.

The feeling of those colors is what I emulate with my paintings.

Traditional watercolors use the softest of voices, beautifully.

That doesn’t mean you have to paint that way if you prefer to speak/paint with brighter colors.

Yes, I can save the white of my paper if I have to, and I can paint soft, sweet, lullaby pastel colors when they’re needed.

Maybe I simply have a louder painting voice than most.

The key, no matter what tone of voice you use when you paint,
is to know how to use your colors to achieve the results you want.

I studied color theory for two semesters at the University of WI, Madison in the late 1970s.

I waited to take these classes until after graduation because the instructor was intense, and I needed time to focus.

I am enthralled with the ways color works.

There’s a big difference between reading about the ways colors work and interact with one another, and experiencing it.

While some people might learn by reading, I learn best by doing — pictures help too.

Remember what I said at the beginning, about watercolor being unforgiving?

That is so NOT TRUE!

I smile as I tell students that those misconceptions are lies started by nefarious watercolor artists who want to keep watercolors all to themselves!

Don’t be bamboozled!

Find out for yourself, take a class, have fun, and give YOUR voice to watercolor!

2020 showcased the “art of the spin.”
We learned that anywhere, anytime, we can put our own spin
on a situation, shifting our perspective to see things differently.

 I became aware of the power of thought 35 years ago when I read an article
on the impact negative thoughts and words have on our emotions.

I read the book, “You Can’t Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought,”
and began to do what I call “practicing the flip.” 

When this painting began, it was titled, “Reach for the Stars.”

 “Practicing the Flip” is one of my favorite tricks to keep my sunny attitude.
The idea is that for every “negative perspective,” there’s a correlating “positive perspective.”

For example, instead of saying “don’t forget your sweater,” say “remember your sweater.”

Try saying both phrases out loud.
Did you emphasize “don’t,” “forget,” “remember,” or “sweater?”

That’s the word that sticks in your brain.

To practice the flip, “Please don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions,”
becomes, “please email me if you have any questions.”

You’ve successfully removed all hesitation!

 It takes conscious awareness to “practice the flip.”

Good news! With practice, it comes more easily.

At this stage, the painting was known as “Reaching for Possibilities.’

How far away do your dreams feel and how do you feel about that distance?

If they feel near, you might feel eager anticipation.
If they feel far, your feelings might vacillate.

 Which perspective feels better?

How can you flip your perspective to feel even better?

What if it’s a good thing that your dream isn’t about to come true tomorrow?
What would you do if it were? Are you really ready for that possibility?

What can you do today to prepare yourself for that inevitability?

You might not be aware of ALL of the things that need to happen to make your dream real.

How could you? Your dreams aren’t static, they morph and evolve as you do.
No worries, you’re finding and making your way toward your dreams.

Practice living as if your dream is getting closer every day.

Fuel your dream with the joy of anticipation and preparation.
Make room in your heart for the changes your dream will bring about.

Start to make those changes.

You are growing into your dream. It is within your reach.

Remember your ever-present ability to flip your perspective. 

“Within Reach” reminds us that no matter how far out there our dreams may feel, they are within our reach — or we wouldn’t have them!