It's a cozy rainy day here in Toronto today and I just felt like writing a few thoughts to you on the topics of change and style when it comes to art and life...
It's Monday morning, I am sitting on my bed with my laptop on my knees, my dog sleeping soundly next to me while the rain continues to pour outside. It's a relief, with all the wildfires we've had recently in Canada I'm so happy to see such a heavy rainfall.
This past week/weekend I completed my first plein air painting session and my first triathlon and I feel so good about it! I love to challenge myself in this way. Sometimes I feel like art and physical exercise go hand in hand, they both help each other... Art makes my mind work, my creativity, my way of seeing the world and having moments of quiet reflection.
Exercise gets my body moving and pushes me to accomplish goals which in turn make me feel like I can do anything! It shuts off the fear part of my brain because it forces me to move past it.
Perhaps I have mentioned this several times online in the last few months, but over the past three years I have gone through so much change in my life. Change doesn't come easily to someone like me, perhaps you either. I have a hard time with things when it's hard to predict the outcome, it makes me want to run and hide. All the changes in my life have been for the better, but in the moment they felt very scary.. sort of like doing a triathlon, it's hard and uncomfy but it feels so good at the same time!
With these changes in life have come changes to my mindset, changes to myself as a person and changes in my art.
People today love to emphasize on the word "style", suggesting artists need to have one style and do it over and over again forever, that way people can recognize their work right away and they can become known for that one particular thing.
To some extent this is true, but there's an important part of the recipe missing and not accounted for in this statement, which is creativity.
A good painting is very subjective, however I think many people can agree that the emotion behind a piece is a strong influence in whether or not it is successful. When I paint from a place of joy, a place of curiosity and freedom, my paintings are much nicer than the ones that are painted with much constriction.
When I started my career as an artist early on, I vowed to myself that I would always follow my joy. I would allow my curiosity and passion for art-making to stay at the forefront. If that meant starting over a few times, so be it!
I often think about how I want to look back on my life when I'm older, and this helps guide my decisions on a daily basis.
Do I want to look back on these years of my life and feel regret for not allowing myself to experience the joy that comes with change? Or do I want to fully embrace it and feel proud? Knowing that no matter where it took me, I followed my heart and let myself get uncomfy and feel good at the same time, just like the triathlon!
No matter where life takes us, change is inevitable. Change is a part of life, a part of us, and it's a beautiful, uncomfy-but-feels-good-anyway kind of thing.
Whether you change careers, relationships, homes, or personality traits, I encourage you to embrace them today. Sometimes we work so hard to hold on to life as we've known it, but with change comes incredible joy, ease and fulfillment. Let yourself get uncomfy and follow the things that feel good.
Let life be your guide and make 90-year-old you proud!
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
– Andy Warhol
Take care,
Sabina