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Key choices in your colorful world. Sentinel — acrylic by Cheryl O Art People are complicated. Combining a diverse contrast of colors in art and life, we paint a fascinating picture. Dark vs. Light In painting, values refer to the amount of dark or light of a color, between the extremes of black and white. This is a powerful component of many great paintings. A whole painting can fall apart if the values are not well placed. Beautiful light is born of a contrast to darkness.— Ross Turnbull Similarly, the things you value in your life will strongly impact your decisions. And if they don’t, hello depression. Learning to be true to your values is key to good mental health. Certain values in life can be black and white. Don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t sleep with someone else’s partner. The don’ts contrast with the do’s. Do take care of yourself. Do take care of those you love. Do make room to follow your heart. A whole life can fall apart if your values are not well-placed. Colorful Choices But life and art are more than black and white. As important as black and white are in a painting, the myriad of colors in between these extremes create the unique mood of each work of art. In life, the richness of color between the extremes of value leaves us room to express ourselves. What will you do with your time, when all obligations are met? I hope it’s something joyful that expresses who you are. A painting also contains very personal choices. Soft vs. Hard Most paintings have both soft and hard edges. There is no right or wrong about these. They need to be assessed in the context of the whole painting. Soft edges tell the viewer to flow through those areas and explore the painting. Hard edges say, stop here. People also have hard and soft edges. I imagine soft edges in people as the interests you enjoy most. You welcome them, and others who share those interests; an easy flow. Not just in the form of hobbies or sports, although those are valid too, but also in the characteristics you want to possess such as kindness or gentleness. A kind person will be drawn to other kind people. Hard edges in people could relate to boundaries. There are times when boundaries are essential to the integrity of a person. Those whose core values do not align will not be comfortable spending significant time together. This is natural and should be respected. The Complement of Opposites Granted, there are times when colors that are not related can complement each other. Yellow to purple, blue to orange, red to green; these are far from each other on the color wheel but can look stunning when nearby on a painting. You already guessed where this is going with people. Friends with different attributes can greatly enhance life for each other. I think it fair to say that there are no rules about this. Try it out and see. I do that with painting. Smack a color down to see if it works, and if it doesn’t, paint another color on top. It’s a constant learning experience. So is life. Takeaway There 

Finding a positive side to the word ‘Power’ took me a long time. Here is what changed my thoughts. Quote by Mother Teresa. Painting by Cheryl O Art In my journey, the concept of “power” has not been in the slightest way attractive. Frankly, I associated the word ‘power’ with abuse. There were people I knew who wanted power. They loved the thought of being powerful. These people were not trustworthy. Bluntly, I did not want to have anything to do with them. These are strong words, but that has been my experience. I feel this aversion toward power lovers on a personal and a societal level. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.— Lord Acton It is an intrinsic problem with politics; those who want power are too often those who should never be given power. On a personal level, I am repelled when it becomes evident that someone is focused on power and controlling others. Since I am compassionate and gentle, it took me too long to understand the making of boundaries. I get that now. But that would be a different article. Suffice it to say, the word ‘power’ has many negative connotations for me. The measure of a man is what he does with power.— Plato Until I realized — wait a moment. In an art course, when I teach someone to use color well, I empower them to be more expressive with color. To find their unique voice in paint. By adding those two letters, ‘em’, suddenly I felt very differently about the word ‘power’. Now, empowering can be a concept I find very attractive. The whole concept of ‘empowering’ can hold some very positive associations. Empowerment is needed concerning things more essential than artistic expression — although naturally that one is dear to my heart. The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.— Alice Walker More empowerment is needed for those who suffer abuse based on race, gender, appearance, age, and other factors that unjustly cause people to be treated as less valuable. The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.— Mahatma Gandhi So nowadays you might hear me say, “I want to empower you.” Not empower you to be overbearing or abusive (never ever), but rather to encourage you to find your voice. And I hope that the things you say with your unique voice will make this world a better or more beautiful place. And if that is the case, more power to you. Not everything I write is published on this website blog. If you want to read all my writings, you could connect with me on Medium. This platform allows 3 free articles per month for non-members to read. Members pay $5 US per month and in return have access to unlimited articles on almost every topic imaginable.  Here is a link to my profile which also shows other articles I have published on Medium. Cheryl O Art writes on Medium 

A painter ponders using failure to become a better human Quote by Maria Robinson. Painting by Cheryl O Art I have watched it happen. The Cover-Up A painting that is an ‘almost’ needs more paint on top. That much is obvious to even a beginner. Less obvious is the fact that leaving some of the original layers showing can greatly enhance the finished work. The beginner will blindly cover everything losing the wonderful opportunity to layer. They don’t yet understand, layers can be good. Life isn’t any different. We want to cover our mistakes — completely. There is another way to live. Instead of pretending that we didn’t make that big goof-up, we can look it in the face and learn from it. In that way, we enhance our lives and make the next layer, the next chapter, more worthwhile. Denial is a Nasty Habit Denial nips learning in the bud. Ouch! If that purple you just added doesn’t work in the painting, denial will not move the painting to a better place. Denying that you were mistaken in something you said to a friend will not help you grow personally. It won’t do much for that friendship either. Watch out — optimism can be a stickler. There are moments when optimism needs to step aside. Blind optimism can become denial, and lose the opportunity for learning from our mistakes. Mistakes can move us forward, but only if we let them. Add Interest and Texture In my eyes, a tidy painting doesn’t have the appeal that a painting with bold free brush strokes does. Isn’t that what everyone loves about van Gogh? Those thick luscious brush strokes? Paintings where brush strokes are allowed to be less than perfect have genuine appeal. Painting by Cheryl O Art Similarly, people who are not afraid to admit mistakes are attractive too. It’s those layers of a genuine life that make them stand out. People who admit their mistakes and have learned from them have a lot to share with others. Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.– Brene Brown That’s part of what makes me a successful art instructor. I make many mistakes when painting. When something goes wrong, I pay attention to precisely what, and how to fix it so I can share that in my art courses. I have 35 years of mistakes to share — heheh – and some successes too. That Prickly Ego It’s easy to be caught up in protecting our ego. Easy to forget to be human. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to keep going that matters.– Winston Churchill Mistakes in life, even those painful ones, can be golden. The painful ones in particular are a big nudge toward change. Not to hide away, but to learn from. Not to deny, but to think about — what should I do differently? Take Away You have seen it; that perfect life on social media where every mistake is completely covered over. This is not real or healthy. Instead, consider… Recognizing and learning from our mistakes is a grab for freedom. Free from pretending. Free to make changes. Free to be who we are – human. This does take courage, 

We need imagination. Here’s why. Quote by Albert Einstein. Painting by Cheryl O Art This quote by Einstein is startling. How can imagination be more important than knowledge? Life. We see, hear, smell, taste, touch. The harshness and beauty of life exist side by side. Reality is overwhelming enough at times. What then is the use of the imagination? Do we even need it? It turns out we do. Truth That Sticks Imagination is the best vehicle for learning truth. More accurately, the imagination can be the best way to grasp truth and have it stick with you, even change your outlook on life — because when your imagination is engaged, the gray matter is ever so much more likely to hold onto whatever concepts are coming in. For happy example take Frodo Baggins, a mythical furry-toed figment of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imagination. Frodo embodied love of life, loyalty, perseverance under huge trials, and other character traits that are so good to fill the mind and heart with. To emulate even. Not that I plan on dropping any rings into volcanoes or fighting large spiders. Especially the spiders. However, I hope to persevere under trials and be loyal to my friends. By engaging our imaginations, we can absorb and learn these values. It’s how our gray matter works. Science supports this. It takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain, unless it is done with play, in which case, it takes between 10 and 20 repetitions.– Dr. Karyn Purvis, developmental psychologist Those numbers are astounding; 400 repetitions compared to 10 to 20. I know which method I would like to use to learn. Playful imagination. When Life Hurts There are people in pain-filled situations. Huge trials. Some folk carry much hurt, physical or emotional. Yet they continue to work for good so that change for the better can become real. So that others may not suffer like they have. If that change does not happen for themselves, they hope for others in the future. Imagining that change, with hope, makes them more able to bear the present. For others to come alongside them in their pain, whether physical, emotional, or any injustice, the first step is to see that there is hurt. Seeing is a start, but just seeing is not enough. Others must imagine how they would feel in that painful situation to have any hope of meaningful action in response. Empathy does not happen without imagination. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves recognizing emotions in others, imagining what they might be experiencing, and responding with care and compassion.– Definition condensed from Miriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries Imagining what someone else is experiencing enables others to respond with care and compassion. The Voice of Art Art also speak by engaging the imagination. Art is a powerful force for touching emotions and potentially being a vehicle for truth. There is a road from the eye to heart that does not go through the intellect.– Gilbert J. Chesterton Notice how easily music, color, creative photography, theatre, and other art forms can reach past our intellectual boundaries and move us deeply. That emotional connection is invaluable for speaking truth that sticks. 

There are things more worthwhile to pursue Painting by Cheryl O Art Someone sold us a plastic apple. It’s not what we think it would be. I refer to the pursuit of happiness. Pursuing happiness is chasing soap bubbles. They always pop. Happiness can be right in front of us, and poof, gone. It is elusive because — life. What to do about this? Choose Your Currency I saw a great image on social media. Someone had made a chart of currency through different ages. A 5-year-old’s currency was Lego blocks, a middle-aged person’s currency was dollar bills, and an older person’s was time. Clever! If we are not living thoughtfully, we tend to chase after what the glossy ads tell us to chase. We are brainwashed to accept that those shiny things are the key to a worthwhile life and happiness. Everyone wants to be happy right? What if we choose something else to chase after? What if we can choose our own currency? Let’s look closer. Speaking as someone in the ‘time’ category, I suggest… and please bear with me if this sounds boring because it isn’t once you start… …I suggest the pursuit of priorities is more worthwhile than the pursuit of happiness. Priorities: The Things That Matter Most to You When you figure out what truly matters to you, and live according to that, happiness will no longer be an unpredictable tyrant — sometimes right with you, sometimes floating away like an out-of-reach dandelion seed. I say tyrant because happiness will come and go no matter your wishes. It does that to everyone. This is inevitable because the things that make you happy are often not under your control at all. If happiness is your goal, you will be disappointed every time something happens to make you unhappy. Golly, no need to add disappointment on top of unhappiness. About priorities — your priorities are your choice. No one else makes that choice for you and it’s uniquely personal. Try pursuing some and see what fits best for you. Life may go from flavorless to inspired once you find the priorities that best fit the puzzle that is you. The Big 3 For Me Here are mine. 1. Family and friends. I want to find ways to treasure and enjoy those closest to me. My father in his late 80’s told me, ‘I’m so sorry, Cheryl. My generation did not know we should be involved with our children.’ His words deeply touched me- regret and love were written in his eyes. 2. Self-care. It took me years to understand that self-care is not necessarily self-centered care. A better understanding is, that self-care recognizes that my body and mind are where I live and therefore I need to care for them. You know — healthy food, physical and spiritual exercise, and time for refreshing relaxation. 3. Creativity. Creativity is a powerful force for healing, self-actualization, and more. It’s also a holiday for your brain — no plane ticket required. In my life, being creative is as essential to well-being as anything mentioned in #2. If I could choose another word for what creativity means to me, it would be ‘freedom’. Creativity is where you get to find and 

Helpful tips for a more joyful creative journey Quote and painting by Cheryl O Art It’s a quandary I have seen many times with painters as they grow their art. I speak to painters, but I would not be surprised if these concepts could be applied to other creative arts. The Beginning Most beginning painters start out aiming for realism in their work. It’s a great way to start. You like your photo reference and try matching the colors and shapes with paint. Sounds easy, but there are a multitude — no exaggeration — of skills that need to be conquered to do that well. There are books and classes to help you with that. No need to rush. The beginning is a captivating process too. Folks mostly understand that learning any skill takes time and practice. They expect a challenge at the first. So what’s the problem? Beyond Basics The painful place happens when a painter has the basic skills and begins moving from a realistic artistic expression toward an expression of their unique voice. To be clear, I have nothing against realism. It can be stunningly beautiful. But what I am speaking about is the most common artist’s journey. The majority of artists do not want to remain realists with their work. They would rather find their unique voice between pure abstract (i.e. no subject) and expressive realism. Putting in the brush time, that individual voice will begin to assert itself, quite naturally. The Painful Place What happens next are paintings in progress. Paintings that are on their way to change; on their way to someplace else that is more uniquely ‘you’. I call them ‘almosts’. This is a hard place to be. For the painter who has labored long hours toward realism, it’s not easy to know when to let go of realism and run with their unique expression, especially when initial attempts don’t yield much to be excited about. If this speaks to you, be comforted, you are not alone. Even accomplished artists who welcome evolution in their work can experience ‘almosts’ and the frustration that goes with them. The Fix The place of ‘almosts’ is when you need to take a deep breath and carry on. You’ve got the basics down, now it’s time to fly by the seat of your palette. Set yourself free to play with colors and shapes. Let intuition take control. Give up on that constraining expectation of making a masterpiece. You don’t have to go there. Instead, dive deep into ‘what happens if’; with no expectations for any particular result. Exploring will allow your brush the freedom to find a style you will love — one that expresses who you are. A voice that could belong to no one else. Go With The Flow Be patient with the messes as you journey toward someplace special with your art. The stirred batter does not look like the cake. If you become too frustrated, return to realism for a while. Creativity gets flowing more easily with what has been practiced. Then leap into the new. You can’t lose by aiming for realism again. Who you are will still become evident as you put in the brush time. Just as your signature is 

You can become more creative in life and art. Quote by Scott Adams. Painting by Cheryl O Art. 1. The Mucky Mess Embrace the messiness. Life gets messy and if you have a perfectionist mindset, you will make yourself unnecessarily miserable when messiness happens. You are human. Stuff happens. Laugh or learn or hopefully both. Mistakes large and small and hurts minor and major will happen. This shit is fertile soil for growth. In painting, messiness is also frequently a stage in developing a painting. Trying something new in subject or technique can be a lively back and forth — some moments so hopeful and some looking disastrous. Ugly ducklings on the way to someplace beautiful. Have fun with the process! Messiness is the way of growth. 2. Reset Expectations Resist expecting an instant outcome from what you learn. Even when the gray matter has lit up like a spotlight, it can take some time before the application of this insight becomes evident. Be kind to yourself and set smaller goals based on your new understanding. You may have just read an inspiring life-changing book. You will not be able to apply everything you learned the next day. Take baby steps. Artists today have many opportunities to see wonderful and inspiring art from history and contemporary times. You may have several artists who inspire you. These masterpieces can influence your work as it evolves if you can consciously apply those colors or techniques to what you are attempting with paint. Break it down into specific small steps. Discovering your signature expression means putting in the brush time. Be patient and reasonable with your expectations of mastery. If making fabulous paintings was easy, it would not be the satisfying challenge it is. 3. Failure is your friend High-five every failure along the way. Failing, a lot, is the pathway to genius. Edison, about inventing the lightbulb said, “I have not failed — I just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.” The person who never failed never tried anything new. This is fine if you want a sedentary life. Myself, I prefer not to go out with a yawn. To live a creative life, you need to embrace adventure. New adventures in any artistic discipline from painting to music mean failing at first. No one is born with mastery skills. Even the greats were beginners once. This applies to both art skills and life skills. In painting, as you practice to become a more adept communicator with this wonderful language of art, failure should be as familiar as a healthy breakfast and just as good for you. 4. About Talent Talent is simply the ability to learn something faster. The learning and the work are still real and that includes failure. Some people seem to be naturals at navigating the complexity of life. Here’s a secret. We are all the same inside — we are all vulnerable in our own unique ways. Work is required to become the best version of ourselves. Practicing humanity means a deliberate and thoughtful approach to life. As an art instructor to adults for 25 years, I have seen that ‘talent’ is much overrated. Give me a student who wants to practice and learn every time — 

You speak several languages, even if you think you only speak one. Here is why that matters. Quote and photo by Cheryl O Art Humans are meant to speak to each other. Communicating with others is not an entertaining extra, it is a basic need. I can be introverted, but I still need to relate to others. We are social creatures in varying degrees and each of us needs a way to speak. Being fluent with words is not a gift that everyone has. Thankfully, there are other ways to speak just as effectively, and at times, with an even more profound impact. There is the light touch on a friend’s arm that wordlessly says, I am here for you. There is a soft kiss on the cheek that says, you are special and loved. Actions are language without words. Consider the language of facial expressions. Wide open eyes of fear or terror. Combine those with a smiling open mouth and it is the unexpected delight of a happy surprise. These speak more eloquently than words. The language of touch and the language of facial expression. Those are 2 more languages that you use to share thoughts. There are other ways to speak. Art is a language. The more an artist appreciates this, the more proficient with this language they can become. It is true that some creative work never reaches other eyes or ears — and is still refreshing for the one doing that work — so don’t stop! Creativity in itself contains healing. For example, I am not going to share that poem I wrote when I was angry — that one is just for me and it felt good to tear it up. Creativity can be a healthy ‘talking to myself’. There is the song sung alone and the painting tucked away in the closet. Notice your emotional response to the last sentence. Instinctively, the response is sadness. I am not talking about fame here. Whether or not you sell your art also has nothing to do with its worth. Society has warped our values to think that these things are what art is about. Puh-leez! Stop believing this lie. Art’s value is so much more. Your unique creative voice is meant to be shared even if only with a couple of friends. I understand it’s a bit of your heart that you put out there when you share a creative work. Boundaries are okay. You can tell your friends or live-in critics that you are not looking for suggestions for improvement. You just thought it would be fun to share. It’s the difference between a black-and-white life, and one lived in full color. Our existence is meant to be more than waking, going to work, staring at a screen, going to sleep, repeat. Sharing our creative voices makes the world a brighter place. The richness of art in any form is the seasoning that gives life flavor. These are the moments when we are most alive. Quote by Picasso. Watercolor painting by Cheryl O Art. Art forms such as dance, theatre, painting, or music are also languages. The more the artist has studied their art form, the more potentially eloquent the expression. If I could say 

Get past writer’s block or fear of the white canvas with these. Painting by Cheryl O Art The creative fires that bring out the best in writing and painting require constant feeding. Typical Inspiration Photos from travels near and far can inspire your writing or painting. This type of inspiration can work admirably for both writers and painters. For example, the above painting was inspired by walks in nearby woods. However… What about dry spells, when the travel seems like old news? Here are some other ways to find creative inspiration. 1. Find Practical Inspiration in Other Artists’ Work This one has been effective over centuries. Be inspired by other writers and artists. It’s good to have faves in your area of expertise. Enjoying work that delights you and makes your heart beat faster is time well spent. This is especially true if you ask questions such as: what is so attractive to me about this style? Try thoughtfully writing a list of specific aspects of the work that you love. The more specific the better. Don’t say, “I like that author’s way of handling conversations.” You can be more specific. For example, “I like the short punchy statements from some of the characters in this book.” Then see if you can pull that technique into your writing. With paintings, don’t say, “I like the colours.”, be specific. “I like the light grays and browns in this painting. These allow the small areas of brilliant blues to shine.” Then see if you can make that technique happen in your painting. This type of thoughtful analysis can greatly impact your work. 2. A Different Point of View Set your imagination free by asking, “How can I take a completely different view on this idea?” This concept translates equally well in writing and painting. What would you write or paint if you were a small creature looking up at your ideas? What if you were flying above looking down? Consider looking through a microscope or telescope. Changing your vantage point can give you a fresh take. 3. Engage the Senses Including sensations such as taste, touch, and smell, helps pull the reader into the story. These add excitement and make your writing more memorable. Texture in a painting can have a similar effect. This can be visual texture, an illusion caused by how paint is handled, or physical texture achieved by thick paint, layering, or collage. This may give your painting a special appeal and make your process more creative and fun. Painting by Cheryl O Art Keeping Track My problem can be, keeping track of all those creative ideas! I have a list on my phone called Painting Ideas. You may also have an idea list. In addition, I keep little sticky notepads and pens anywhere I tend to sit — the living room, by my computer, and even beside my bed. Sometimes at 2 a.m. I wake up with an idea. Not sure what time zone my gray matter thinks I live in. No matter. Old-fashioned paper and pen still work. Find a way of capturing your fleeting creative thoughts that works for you— because as the right brain gets into gear, the ideas can rapidly multiply. Ideas are like 

Check-in on your inner dialogue for a happier life Quote by Joan Didion; Painting by Cheryl O Art Not everyone has a voice inside their head — a built-in narrator — but many do. Those with this voice, have a hard time imagining that some people don’t. Those who don’t, can’t seem to imagine what it is like to have one. Not a right or a wrong either way, but an inner dialogue is a common experience. Many folks use this private conversation as a way to problem solve. You only have to worry if you think you are talking to someone who isn’t there. If you hear me talking to myself remember, I am a sole proprietor and it’s likely a meeting.– Author Unknown The way I talk to myself has radically changed. These days it is a much quieter voice than it used to be. Before, my inner voice was often loudly pointing out mistakes both past and present and even name calling- ‘dumb bum’ — and worse. Seeking long overdue calm after too many storms, I finally made the connection. I would never speak in that abusive way to anyone else, so why was I allowing that inner abuse to me? Change happened surprisingly quickly. I was relieved to find out that it is possible to change the attitude of that inner voice. Grateful thoughts founded in hope have taken over the current narrative. Grace, all grace. If our minds have doors, the “Be Kind” door has effectively shut out those frequently too-critical thoughts. I have always tried to be kind to others. I just needed the awareness that I should also be kind to myself. It is worth checking in on your inner narrator. Because… Wherever you go, there you are.– Confucius Curious — do you have a voice in your mind too? I hope it’s a kind one if you do. If your inner dialogue is inappropriately harsh, here is the hope that it can be changed, perhaps more easily than you think. Or is that, as easily as you think? Be kind — to yourself too. It’s a happier way of living. Not everything I write is published on this website blog. If you want to read all my writings, you could connect with me on Medium. This platform allows 3 free articles per month for non-members to read. Members pay $5 US per month and in return have access to unlimited articles on almost every topic imaginable.  Here is a link to my profile which also shows other articles I have published on Medium. Cheryl O Art writes on Medium