Do what makes you happy, and do it often
When I'm feeling restless or even if it's just a monday, I know of one thing that will always brighten my day... painting! Usually I just paint random things I find like: seashells, rocks, jars, shoes, and just plain paper. As of late I've really branched out by starting to paint canvas. Canvas is a lot more tricky because you have to layer the paint a lot or else you will see the white. My setup for painting involves: natural light, canvas, paint, paper bags, cotton balls, sponges, cue tips, thin tip paint brush, paper towel, paint pens, pandora radio, yummy tea from Teavana, and of course my three amazing dogs.
After setup, my mind relaxes as I realize I now get a few hours of peace and creativity. This is a critical moment. Everyone needs to feel that haze of instant relaxation, whether it's through yoga, reading, walking, or painting! After this everything is a blur, as I drift off into the endless thoughts of my imagination.
Today I painted sunflowers, which happen to be my favorite flowers. How appropriate that I own a "sunflower" colored paint?
The paper bag works well for mixing paint; none of it soaks in to the bag.
The cool thing about canvas is even beginners can do it as well. If you mess up while painting you just keep blending and layering. Canvas painting has texture and character.
Cotton balls give texture and help blend.
Now for the blue sky...
And Voila! It's no monet, but was worth the few hours of tranquility.
Pablo Picasso once said,
"Painting is a blind man's profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen."
I don't paint sunflowers because that's what I see. I paint them because of how I feel when I see them. They're bright and peaceful. They smile yet they have no face. Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. He attracts and follows.
Go paint.
Go walk.
Go swim.
Go do something, that brings you peace.
"Painting is a blind man's profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen."
I don't paint sunflowers because that's what I see. I paint them because of how I feel when I see them. They're bright and peaceful. They smile yet they have no face. Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. He attracts and follows.
Go paint.
Go walk.
Go swim.
Go do something, that brings you peace.