Taking time out for creativity

As I write this I hear a pop, then another, then another. That means the effort I put forth this afternoon chopping peppers, garlic, tomatoes and onions to make salsa worked! The seals are taking hold, and I will be able to move the jars into the cupboard. A successful project!

A couple of weeks ago I completed another project that took me into my creative mind. It felt good. You ?know how creativity always seems to take the back seat to taking care of everything around you – the house, the job, the yard, the laundry, paying the bills, etc.? Then the relationships, which really should be the top priority, also get in the way.

Well, enough is enough! I hadn’t done anything with art in so long, I was wondering if I even could, so I signed up for an acrylic painting class at an open studio in Minneapolis. Since I paid for it in advance, there was no backing out. Nothing else was going to wiggle in and steal my creative time, not even being exhausted from working all day.

The tiny class of four started with us choosing a canvas board with a pencil outline of a rabbit or a calla lily. I was hoping the class would not be a paint-by-number session, so I was a little concerned. Being the first to arrive, I didn’t find out I could have chosen a blank canvas until I had already begun work on a calla lilly.

We outlined the subject with black permanent marker, and then laid down base colors. From there we added dimension by mixing colors and brushing them onto the base. The teacher was helpful and I learned a lot.

Getting lost in the work, I waited until the end of class to visit with my classmates. Each painting was different even though the same reference photos were used. It’s interesting how differently each person sees things and uses color. I found the same is true with reporting. Even though I was at the same meeting as other journalists, you could not tell by the articles we wrote. How we see the world colors our words, as well as our art.

I considered the painting a successful project. What do you think?