Words of wisdom from a great thinker…
Keep Doing It !!!
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Tag Archives: life
Letting Loose – Rhythm
I just found this in my old drawings. It’s a gesture drawing, took only about two minutes. I really like it for its loose movement. It has energy and rhythm. Amazing what can be caught in a moment’s time when one is being present and just observing and drawing instead of thinking. 😉
Rhythm | Graphite on Paper | 2013
Dear Fellow Human Beings,
I guess Corona has caught up to all of us in one or the other way. Life becomes more and more restricted in order to prevent the virus from spreading. I, myself, have two families in my social circles that have been in direct contact with infected people, and are quarantined now. Consequently, I put myself on “house arrest“ until we know more. I have no symptoms, but it’s the reasonable thing to do.
It’s not all bad, gives me some extra time to paint, read and write. And, thanks to this little invention called internet I can stay in touch and share it with you. So, I am sending best wishes to all of you out there. Take care – and don’t freak out (honestly, who needs toilet paper for the next five years).
This will blow over, just hang in there. Meanwhile, with the right precautions for safety 😷 we can still help each other where needed, and most of all, be nice to each other. Now, more than ever, we need to know that we are not alone.
Sending lots of good wishes and xoxo. 😘
Accepting the Flow
I found an old pencil sketch of a bottle the other day and spontaneously started filling it in with watercolors. It’s been a long time since I’ve painted. It’s really just a sketch and has its flaws, starting with the paper (not watercolor paper) and then the colors that turned out muddy in some places because I just kept moving the brush over and over in the same spot (an old bad habit I have a hard time controlling). Watercolor is a tricky and fascinating medium. You can only do so much and quite often have to accept the flow of the watery pigment. That’s one of the reasons why I started painting with watercolor and it’s also the reason for a lot of frustration I had to deal with. And one day I stopped, partly because the frustration was just too much. But now, I think, it’s time I pick it up again. While you get better with practice, it is not always possible to control the outcome. That’s true in art, as in life. The only thing that can save you then (from frustration or worse) is acceptance. It is what it is. And sometimes, if you look at things with an open mind, you might see beauty where there seemed to be none before. Enjoy!
Walking the Path
“Knowing the path is not the same as walking the path.”
Morpheus (The Matrix)
I have been struggling with this concept my whole life. I tend to turn to other things, when I get to the point where I think, “okay, got it, I can imagine where it goes from here, don’t have to actually do it.” Unfortunately, I have acted on that thought many times throughout my life and did turn to something new at this point. Consequently I never really mastered anything. Well, I’m living proof and here to tell you that it makes for an entertaining life but not necessarily for a fulfilled one.
Knowing this now I make an effort to pay close attention to what is happening at that crucial moment when I am about to turn my attention elsewhere. I try to be mindful, observe my feelings and thoughts at this moment and as a result, resist the urge to turn away and do something new. It’s been a life long struggle for me – but I’m learning.
And I can say from experience by now, that indeed, walking the path is quite different from knowing it. It has its frustrating phases but the rewards are so much greater. So, stick to it. After every low, there will be a high. Without the bad we would never be able to appreciate the good. Life does not work without contrast. Be nice to yourself and keep showing up. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. It’ll all work out in the end.
Discover & Create 