“Not every day is meant for painting.”
What?? Blasphemy!

The garden metaphor is helpful. If we were watering, fertilizing, weeding, and bothering our plants every day, they would ask us to leave.

They might stop thriving, or wilt, or even die from our excessive care.

That is why we need to stop constantly striving for excellence in everything, including painting. We also need time set aside for “moodling,” that idle time when we allow thoughts and life to flow, without any purpose.

I thought I was good at moodling, but wow, my best friend and I can take moodling to a whole new level.

Do you have a friend who laughs easily, inspires you to take life lightly, who is there for you as often as you are there for them? This someone loves sitting on the couch drinking coffee with you as much as they enjoy a three-day trip with you to the beach.

My buddy S. is just that person. I am funnier when I’m with her. I can laugh at myself more easily when I am with her because she loves me no matter what. She loves me not despite my life-scars but because of them. We have each gotten ourselves into some pretty bad pickles and, as a result, became teachable and wiser. Our collection of tales is all the richer for all those “seemed like a good idea at the time” experiences.

When she says, “Bobbie, you’re so funny,” I respond, “Well lady, it’s your fault.”

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 During this April month of Spring Fever, I have learned to:

1. Downsize my repetitive, daily life to-do lists
2. Search & Study: Identify my mentors, then study their work and teaching
3. Practice: After mentally processing all that instruction, I test my brain-eye-hand connections…by actually trying to paint! My goal is to use up lots of perfectly good paper in less-than-perfect precious practice.
4. Refresh: The final step, equally important, is to interrupt my insular study- practice- study- practice rhythm with intentional high-quality time spent with the best humans I can find.

I may live in a garret, but my secluded home, 43 steps above ground level, needn’t confine me unless I let it. I am so grateful for good friends who understand my need for solitude, for time to focus on my work, and their relentless generosity when it is time to welcome me out for a jaunt into the larger world.

As I continued studying Oliver Pyle’s online tutorials, I kept thinking of one of his paintings that has enchanted me since I first saw it. Finally I ordered a print which is on its way to me. In the meantime, I decided to practice color mixing by attempting to match certain colors in this much-loved painting. I didn’t get it right the first time, so I kept going, and going…

I wasn’t trying to copy the whole painting. Of course not. Never. But then, “Hmm, maybe…”

I left it half-finished for a week because I had company coming and I knew I would be busy.

After four days with amazing friends, I returned to it today and finished it.

A happy ending to yet another pleasurable self-hypnosis watercolor session. I’m so grateful to my dear friends who refill my energy tank every time I drain it by obsessively studying watercolor!

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As always, thanks for spending some time with me “aloft.” Happy gazing and sketching!