New painting progress (plus, how we spend our days)

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day” A. A. Milne 

It’s been an interesting few days.

Last week I had jury duty and was selected to be a juror on a civil case that started yesterday. My first instinct after being selected was to feel stressed at suddenly having much less time this week than anticipated. How would I get my work done? Would I finish the new painting I wanted to share with you?

My second (slower) reaction was to stop, get a cup of tea, and close my eyes.

In moments like these I always come back to one of my favorite Annie Dillard quotes which reads how we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives, and I love how simple a concept this is (and how steeped in truth).

Find your peace. Print available here.

I don’t want to be so annoyed about what I can’t change that I lose days of my life to a grumpy fog. There’s still peace (sacredness, every day magic) to be found inside each day if we’re willing to look for it.

My pledge to you is that I’m choosing to refocus this week as much as I can. Maybe my contribution as a juror has helped someone to move beyond a difficult period. The time away from my business (and computer!) has given me some unexpected fresh air and friendly conversations with people I’d have never met otherwise.

How do you need to refocus this week?

Shifting perspective is not always easy, but goodness does it make a difference.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I have a new painting to share! Yay!

Between the holidays and getting very sick, I haven’t had it in me to create anything new in a while. Over the past few days I did two things: made progress on the half finished piece I started a while ago, and worked on a new background using a technique I’ve learned from a few of my favorite artists:  layering lots of colorful, patterned papers first before adding any paint.

Here was the half finished piece when I showed it to you last:

I really had no idea where I wanted to go next with the painting, so I put it aside for a while.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from painting is that if a piece isn’t working yet, I have to be willing to cover up parts that I’m attached to in order to finish. It’s tough to let go sometimes (and this has been such a good lesson in life as well). Sometimes we just have to let go in order to get where we’re supposed to be. Trusting that your path will lead you in the right direction is the key.

In this case, I loved the moon – it’s super different than anything I’ve done before and there’s a loose, fun quality that I’ll need to remember for future paintings. I worked on the bottom half of the painting for a while so that I could keep the top half exactly as it is above.

Eventually though I saw that the two halves of the painting simply weren’t working together and I wasn’t going to get anywhere if I didn’t address the painting as a whole. I was frustrated, felt like I’d been wasting paint, and needed a big shift.

Goodbye, moon! I’ll paint you again in the future.

Here’s where the painting is now:

A lot has changed! I added a new, brighter moon and the words across the sky — i trust my path. 

I also added some of my favorite handmade paper, lots of new color and texture, and a bear.

The bear is one of my absolute favorite animals but I haven’t included one in a painting until now. Bears are symbolic of strength, courage, protection, and deep rest. They are powerful animals that also go within and hibernate, instinctively knowing when to emerge on the other side of the season renewed.

They’ve been revered for their wisdom throughout time, which made this whimsical little bear the perfect messenger to remind us to trust our journeys even if we can’t see the end of the road. Love, love, love.

Last but not least, here’s a glimpse of the new background I started. Look for multi-colored tissue paper, a vintage music score, and handmade papers with gold and silver designs.

I have no idea yet where this will go, or how much of the background will get covered up. Time will tell, friends!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

It’s been fun to be at my painting table again and I want to do a lot more art this winter. I want to keep improving my animals. I want to remember that there’s no rush, and that I’m exactly where I need to be on my path (so are you, by the way).

We’ll get there. In the meantime let’s enjoy the ride… or jury duty, if you’re me. :)

Have a beautiful week!

With love,