Love the Journey, not the Destination

So, I’ve been painting now for about 14 years straight and have gone through the MANY ups and downs of being a creative. Rejection, loss of confidence, frustration with my work to acknowledgement, improving my skills and notoriety from strangers for my work. So many lessons I have learned along this pathway of discovering myself is that the secret to a successful art career is enjoying the journey and not concerning myself of how quickly I can get to the destination. Aligning my mindset has given me the ability to truly enjoy my art practice and to be able to amplify this idea to my students and friends.

One of the most enjoyable moments in creating art is when I let loose and just go on an exciting journey creating the next “masterpiece”. I always start my paintings with no preconceived idea in mind, just throwing down black and white paint to destroy the canvas’s purity. Adding earthtones, then color, until something emerges. At that point, you gotta start pumping the brakes. Acknowledging when you need to slow down and begin to pay attention to where you’re at with the work. Becoming strategic with the “next moves” and using intuition to see things that do not exist. I try this and try that. Making mistakes along the way are all part of the game. Then the last stroke brings the painting home. It’s like feeling you won the lottery. The effort, being patient, enjoying every moment makes your finished piece so worth it.

My workshops are beginning to center around this idea of enjoying the journey. To not fear failure, but embrace it. To feel unrestrained. To just “go for it"! What’s the worst that could happen? Your painting is never done until it’s done.
We tend to hold onto what we deem precious in the work. It is typically the one thing that needs to go. Why? Because you’ve essentially been creating AROUND it. Be willing to let go of the things you hold on to.

If these ideas resonate with you, I encourage you to sign up for one of my workshops or set up a one-on-one mentoring session. My students have grown personally as well as artistically because they have learned to enjoy creating. You can learn more about the my workshops and mentoring programs here.

Stay focused, stay loose, stay free to be and GO CREATE!!