Doing Art is a Metaphor for Life

Doing Art is a Metaphor for life, Especially When struggle sets in

Doing art is a metaphor for life, revealing our deepest beliefs. Art and we are a work in progress, and neither create an instant, perfect success. Both need tender, loving nurturing, acceptance, and love….especially from us!

For example, when I think too hard about how to do a painting, I run into tons of problems. I was hesitant to try a white azalea, but its beauty seduced me. See what happened when struggle set in and I had to pause to find a new direction.

In the past, I’d start with the lightest tones, work through medium, then do the darks last. I had a feeling this wouldn’t work with this one, but I forged ahead anyway. My thinking mind couldn’t work it out. Feeling and intuition work best.

I stopped recording because I was afraid of taking up all the time on the camcorder. Struggling, I needed to take a step back. I wiped over the whole thing with a baby wipe.

When you face frustration, what do you do? Doing art is a metaphor for life. First, you can walk away, never to return. Do something else more successful: dance, garden, cook, write. Some ‘artists’ choose to keep doing the same art trick over and over, even when it no longer excites them.

A third possibility is that you can put it aside for another time. Vow to return tomorrow with fresh eyes and continue on. Then there’s a fourth way. An artist can choose to step back, evaluate what they’re doing, and shift their attitude and focus. I chose the fourth.

I asked myself, what is it about this flower that makes it what it is? Then I heard ‘the line, the outline, delicate frills on the edges. Contrasting edges catch the eye of the viewer. Edges…layers of light and dark, and stamens, thin shapes with golden bulb tips. Lines radiating from the center…centers of many flowers. Look closer, deeper, at the details that make up the whole.

Dark edges made the azalea appear. So, I took a medium brush with darkest paint, and slowly followed the edge all around the large white shape. Then, I painted loose and freely with a large brush and watery green over the leaves….broad strokes not tight dabs. The struggle started to flow. Yellow made stems. Background darks were muted with green.

Doing art is a metaphor for life when your make new choices. A switch to oil pastels made neutral shadows, and delicate line stamens with golden tips. Use whatever works, just as the old masters have done for hundreds of years.

Their paintings show layer upon layer of first drawings and paintings that weren’t an instant success. This is life, art, and each of us.

I just heard an artist who is doing gorgeous faces and figures, say the art is just pouring out of her. That’s where I want to be. Let my art pour out of me…..and be good, great, or at least pleases me.

That’s our goal for Dragonfly Art Program. Discover your Self, your approach to life, to art, to confidence and do art with us. Free up your creative side with art each week.

Finally, I found I liked the painting better upside down. What do you do when art or anything just isn’t flowing? Join us and let’s get the conversation rolling.