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ShattCls400

Life Lived Thoughtfully

Cheryl 3 Comments
Life happens fast. Really fast. And it seems that the older you get, the faster time goes. How do we respond to that? For those who want some measure of contentment at the end of each day, part of the answer is to live thoughtfully. What does that look like – the thoughtful life? Here are some things that I would put on that list: 1. Think about your strengths. Figure out where you need to be to use your strengths to be of the most benefit – for yourself and for others. Work on making your strengths even stronger. Work on blessing more people because we don’t go through this life as an island. The old Simon and Garfunkel song had that one wrong. /  2. Think about your weaknesses. How much do they hold you back? If not at all, perhaps they don’t matter. But if they are holding you back from being the best you can be, then you need to think about working on overcoming. Be courageous, even if it’s in baby steps. Think about what those baby steps would look like. /  3. Think about those you admire who touch your life, and why you admire them. Encourage them. Do you want to learn to be more like them? /  4. Connect with those who have very different views and ways than your own. Listen to and respect them. It’s too easy to connect only with those who think the same. Make your life richer by seeing that there are many diverse ways of journeying through this world. /  5. This one is so essential. If you can only remember one out of this list, pick this one because the others are not likely to happen without it. Regularly seek the silence. In our world every minute can be filled with texts and emails, entertainment, work, and constant mind numbing input. How will you find time to think about your life unless you make a very intentional effort to do so? /  More and more I am convinced that if we don’t think hard about our life, time will run us over with all the subtlety of a windshield meeting a bug. For myself, as I struggle to apply the above points in my own life, I have found 2 actions particularly helpful – reading and praying. I highly recommend both. In tomorrow’s blog, I’ll look at how these 5 points can be applied to creating art as well. What do you think? What have I missed about living thoughtfully that you would add to this list? Your comments are most welcome. 
ColofLt250

The Colours of Light

Cheryl 1 Comment
This is an older painting of mine that was painted “under the influence” of Group of Seven work. That simply means I had been studying their colours and techniques. It bothers me that the horizon is splitting the canvas almost 50/50 – that’s a no no! However, I do like the the glowing sky and the tree shapes. Maybe I’ll re- invent this painting in class in October. Your comments are welcome. 
JacksonPollock250

Artists Don’t Know What They Are Doing

Cheryl
“When I paint, I am not aware of what I am doing.” Jackson Pollock – I agree with this quote. It’s common that the creative mode makes artists oblivious to anything else in the world. Winston Churchill said that when painting all your worries disappear and, “Time stands respectfully aside.” However, I tend to be an advocate for also have times of stepping back from your painting and consciously analysing what is happening. This helps so much with all aspects of composition and colour. Am I being too bold by saying – I think Jackson Pollock should have stepped back more often? What do you think? – Painting by Jackson Pollock 
Solitude350

Solitude

Cheryl 2 Comments
This painting, titled “Solitude”, is an example of one of my own paintings that was influenced in style by first working through a number of Group of Seven paintings. The almost brick like effect in the sky can be seen sometimes in Group of Seven paintings, especially Tom Thomson’s work. I’m looking forward to working through more Group of Seven paintings in the October class! If you haven’t yet registered and are interested, the full info is found here… “Local Art Courses with Cheryl O“ 
Barn3T

Stand Back!

Cheryl
Sometimes we painters get so absorbed in our painting that we forget that it can look very different from a distance. Stand back – often! Ten or fifteen feet between you and your painting, and a critical eye, can save you from many compositional and colour disasters.  
WildFlow300

Learning Curve

Cheryl
With lots of registrations coming in already for classes that start in October, I have been pondering the happy atmosphere of classes again. I’m convinced that it’s partly the creative spirit of students interested in art that fosters such an atmosphere,  but there are other things that help too. One is understanding learning curve. We would all like to have the kind of learning curve that looks like a straight line sloping upward. Fact is, I don’t know anyone who learns that way. With most of us it’s 4 steps forward and 2 steps back. For myself, I do a lot of flat lining. Those are times when I feel like nothing is happening. But I know from experience that if I persevere, the line will eventually slope upward again and I will get where I am aiming – with practice. People also learn at different speeds as well. I say, if you are having fun learning, it really doesn’t matter at all how quickly or slowly you learn. Being conscious of these few aspects of learning can help make it a happier experience for you. Hope to see you in class!