Painting Unexpected Choices on Our Canvas

April 6, 2022 3:49 pm

Painting unexpected choices on my canvas got me through the pandemic. Covid was the quintessential liminal experience. There was no moving forward or backward, and the present moment was bathed in uncertainty. I was stuck waiting anxiously for “What’s Next” and unable to experience life as it had been. To some degree, I am still stuck. Art making allows me to go somewhere despite the restraints. It allows me to be untethered. An adventure can be taken with my paintbrush and a canvas regardless of what’s happening around me. My art is made while sitting in the liminal “In-Between.” My canvas is the space where I can always find freedom in any liminal moment. This is the place where I can do something different, strange, or unexpected and then find peace in my choices.

I delight in making unexpected choices on my canvas. To see the quizzical look on the face of an enquirer is pure joy. The oddities are what have the power to open the dialogue. Ask me why this strange fish swims in these peculiar waters. I would be honored to answer. It all starts with a question: a specific invitation. It’s a starting point for conversation with others and me. Painting unexpected choices on our canvas drives dialogue and opens communication. From this point of connection, we find common ground. I truly want people to ask. Don’t hesitate to start the conversation. Dialogue is part of my creative process. When you inquire, it’s a gift to me.

Do consider painting unexpected choices on your canvas. Enjoy the look on someone’s face when they don’t understand. Embrace the questions when the viewer needs to know more. When your creative process gets a response, you are making a change in someone. You’ve got them thinking. You’ve got them wondering. This kind of impact is one of the joys of art making. Take a chance. Share your art with others. Then, enjoy the exchange.

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