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Friday, November 26, 2010

"Savor"

Living in the moment is something too many of us forget to do, me included as it was pointed out recently. It's important to savor whatever is in front of us at any moment -- warm puppies, happy children, the smell of pine trees, the Thanksgiving leftovers in my refrigerator.

I did the attached flower for no other reason than I felt like doing it. I savored the time of copy/paste/rotate/fill/emboss... When I was done with it, I wondered why did I waste time on something for which I don't have a practical application? There are so many "useful" things I "should" have done instead. I was following a friend's advice to "lighten up", and pushed myself to doodle while watching tv. The doodle seemed enough to computer doodle too.

I read the Tao of Pooh this week, and absolved myself for "wasting" time on impractical computer art. I greatly recommend this book. It's Eastern philosophy ala Winnie the Pooh, and one of my brother Brian's favorites. He has quoted it to me for years, and I finally read it after finding it in my niece's bedroom last weekend.

The lesson I've been contemplating this week is that water doesn't run in a straight line. Having spent so much time on the bank of my river, I've watched the water flow around rocks, wander to the edges, and go wherever it finds the least resistance. Thinking about this has let me give myself permission to quit banging my head on what I "should" do, and apply my energies to the things that feel more comfortable and happy. When I think of "shoulds", I procrastinate and spend my time in self-criticism. In other words, get nothing done instead of making impractical flowers.

Maybe the flower is important in ways I haven't considered? It reminds me of what I like to do, and another of the lessons in the book is to be true to our own natures and success will follow effortlessly. I look at other people's blogs and notice the cute children's art and funny cartoons. That's great for the people who like to do those things, and I like looking at it, but I like painting flowers. Sometimes impractical, fanciful flowers with no apparent use.

I feel lighter and happier to allow myself an impractical flower. I feel less restrained to allow myself to wander wherever the water wants to take me. Happy artists make happy art, and that makes the world better for everyone!

22 comments:

  1. Great point of view, and a pretty flower, to boot! Keep creating! :o)

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  2. ..and I have "savoured" every part of this post. Wise words Linda which of course I completely endorse. Life should be fun and lived for each day ; without regrets from yesterday or worries about tomorrow. If you love what you do then you will do it well.
    Jane x

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  3. Very nice post, beautiful stuff!

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  4. really good advice and it feels like your coming upon a defining point with your style. i think just loosely doodling and re-interpreting the way you see things (try drawing upside down, with your opposite hand, new medium (fat crayons, washy brushes, a stick of vine charcoal, etc....) anything that forces your fingers to loosen up. good luck, linda! love to see where you head next and thanks so much for the visits!

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  5. Heisann!

    I try to understand the meaning of savor by reading and watching what other bloggers have written and painted ... and I think I soon have a slight clue.
    Thank you for sharing your version with me ;:OD)
    The decorative flower is beautiful!

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  6. Heisann!

    Thanks, Linda ... now I know, exactely. Your explanation is very good. I love chocolate too,
    have eaten a whole bag of Mmmmm today (nuts covered with chocolate) ;:OD)

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  7. Beautiful creation Linda! Life IS to be savoured..... very well said!

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  8. So glad you we "impractical" with your flower. Both your illustration and message are wonderful. I feel exactly the same way about being practical and never wasting time on frivolous...like those darn flowers (tee hee)...and then I get nothing done. Thanks for the wake up! And thanks for commenting on my blog, I've been so burdened with being practical I haven't stopped to visit sites so your comment gave me reason to visit and you've made Monday much better. Thanks! And I've never read the Tao of Pooh, it's next.

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  9. Thanks everyone! I love comments :) I also like doing my little bit to remind others to enjoy life. We're all in this together!

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  10. So true, so true, beautiful art. The Tao of Pooh is a great book, I have a copy and love it.

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  11. Wow...beautiful art. I've recently been learning that lesson too. Great piece.

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  12. Thanks so much, and thanks for the follow Katie!

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  13. Absolutely lovely.

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  14. I SO appreciate your thøughts on this. It's certainly a lesson well worth learning. I feel the same way about doodling--only for me it's usually people, and yes, it IS worth it, for the joy it gives. Thanks!

    (I like the flower too--really beautiful!)

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  15. Doodling would make everyone's life better, right? Thanks for the comments!

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  16. I agree totally to living in the moment if only it was that easy. Yes doodling does it for me!

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  17. Well Linda I have missed so much. That tin in the next post - the different designs - you are a real artist eh/? Your colour chords have that harmony we all seek in our dreams

    be back later and make some more sense :)

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  18. I studied color theory in college, but very little of it made much sense to me. Some colors just feel good with each other, and I go about it intuitively. Thanks for the kind words!

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  19. I'm right there with you, really need to just relax sometimes and enjoy.

    The depth in this flower is great, the layers seem to pop out a bit.

    - Evan Johnson

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