Life is Like....
...sorry Forrest, your mamma told you wrong. Life is not like a box of chocolates. Life is more like a box of pastels. Not a nice, pretty, new box either but a mixed, reused-box of broken, blunted colors. There's lots to choose from in that box, there's some truly gorgeous colors under the grey dust of many yesterdays, but you'll have to be able to see past the grime to find the heart-color of every stick. Some of those sticks are dark to the core, but with them, with that very darkness, you can make the lighter and more joyous colors rise above and shine their brightest.
There will come a time when no matter how much you dig through the box, the right color won't be found ready-made for your use... that is when you will have to take a risk. You'll either have to mix your own or change how you think, and just like which sticks of colors you decide to use, it is your choice how to proceed. You can seek advise from those who have painted before, or you can just strike out on your own and learn from your own experience.
Every day you're given that jumbled box of pigments and a piece of paper to explore; whether it's pristine and new, or a page of work left unfinished and incomplete from a previous day. It is of little consequence which you choose, just that you do choose, and do the work. You learn and create with every stroke.
Remember this though, Forrest; to paint and paint well, you are going to have to get your hands dirty. Don't worry, it's just part of the process.
...sorry Forrest, your mamma told you wrong. Life is not like a box of chocolates. Life is more like a box of pastels. Not a nice, pretty, new box either but a mixed, reused-box of broken, blunted colors. There's lots to choose from in that box, there's some truly gorgeous colors under the grey dust of many yesterdays, but you'll have to be able to see past the grime to find the heart-color of every stick. Some of those sticks are dark to the core, but with them, with that very darkness, you can make the lighter and more joyous colors rise above and shine their brightest.
There will come a time when no matter how much you dig through the box, the right color won't be found ready-made for your use... that is when you will have to take a risk. You'll either have to mix your own or change how you think, and just like which sticks of colors you decide to use, it is your choice how to proceed. You can seek advise from those who have painted before, or you can just strike out on your own and learn from your own experience.
Every day you're given that jumbled box of pigments and a piece of paper to explore; whether it's pristine and new, or a page of work left unfinished and incomplete from a previous day. It is of little consequence which you choose, just that you do choose, and do the work. You learn and create with every stroke.
Remember this though, Forrest; to paint and paint well, you are going to have to get your hands dirty. Don't worry, it's just part of the process.
29 comments:
*dusting myself off* ....
self dusting is good for the soul...hehe-ah-, *sneeze*-he!
Yes to what you say, and you've created a jewel of a flower!
Modroom, it is a self-planted Morning Glory, and a bit of a late bloomer:)
No I didn't forget you. Life has just been all consuming lately. I feel like your box of pastels and I need to brush myself off and start drawing again. Your post hits home with every thing that has taken place these past two months. So you going to post some of your pastels for us? please!
Hi Toni, I know you have been busy... :)
Time this year has been nutz hasn't it just been?!? I keep feeling like I should be doing something but everything I think of to do, gets a NO vote... what's with that? I need to do some walking and meditating... cogitating and in general, just plain thinking about what sounds like a good idea:)))
Great analogy. I always tell the students I teach, "As in art, so in life!" Makes it all seem more relevant as we struggle to learn.
TLC,Art is life, it has kept me keeping on when "nothing was left in the well" more than once. I don't want your houses, cars or jewlery...it's your art I covet.
I go to gallerys and museums and visions of larceny dance in my head....heheh!
Just kidding(no I'm not),so at a very early age I knew I wasn't going to stay on the right side of the bars if I didn't learn to draw, I can do a pretty mean Van Gogh, if I do say so myself:)))
Some of my dearest treasures are the works of art from my blogger friends.
People keep painting,drawing and teaching.... never give up, there are people like me that love what you do more than gold.
Yes... wiser! :)
I swear, my fingers became dusty and rainbow-hued, just during the reading of this!
You are wonderful, Ldahl! You just couldn't have a clue how special your words, your pictures, your reflections are to me! Always treasures that I find here. Thank you! xo
That box of crayons is so inviting! Must....draw...!
Merlinprincesse, I still don't know when to come in out of the rain:)))
Cate! There you are, I sure have missed your blog. Ok, I was spoiled, I know!
I am going to paint today...to heck with all the work I have yet to do...go get the bags:))))!
Chuang Shyue Chou...Post what you do, I want to see!
L, I am so glad you're posting again!!
I think you've summed it all up for Forrest! Take a risk and learn from your own experience!
Definitely a wise owl!!!
welcome back!
Cream... me too!!(glad I'm posting again)Now if I could just get to painting more:)))
Thanks Andrea!! good to hear from you...keep on with those abstracts!
great post and nice pastel peeking through!!!
Well said!
Thanks for your comment on my little girl. I hope you are well and will be posting new paintings and news here soon. :)
Hugs!
Val,hi! Are you making any new "little houses"? I'm wanting to do some little chairs this week. I've found some barn wood to make their seats so I'm excited about trying that out:)
Christine... the news is, I have a new grandson this week. I got to hold him when he was about 1 hour old!!!
Hallow to you and your new grandson };-}
Hey Lilah. For me, a box of anything is fun to rummage through. As a kid I would get pretty bright eyed whenever there was a new box of stuff to discover. I would have loved those pastels too.
wow! good stuff. This really speaks.
I think I found your page once, then lost it, I am glad I found my way back!
Very nice.
Anonymous , it's almost your Birthday!! I'm almost through with my big project!! Yea! Already started gathering material for playtime:)))
Brian did you look under the box? How is autumn treating you? Love this time of year!
GoGo I'm glad you found your way back... did you get your third page done? :) I hope you keep blogging!
Holy fricken cow, Lilah. I only noticed that now. What a nice surprise that was. My wife loved it too. I'd show Sammy, but he's in bed...perhaps tomorrow.
I hope you're well, lovely lady.
Brian, :)))))
I sometimes wonder what if what we see is only half of what is there to see...
hummmm.
tru' dat'
and well said too!
:)
Tj, I'm really enjoying your blog, so glad you stopped by here so I could follow you home:)
Brian showed this to me, and it got multiple levels of my brain and heart going.... but only this morning have I READ the post, not realizing it was the same one as the "sammy surprise". The words are just as beautiful.
thank you sister.
You, my dear, are most welcome!!!
"Finding" your blog has been so special to me...Thank God..or Brian, or both:))))
~sis
i have often wondered if i could make anything from my old, used pastels. thanks for your comments on my blog, you are a welcome vistor and your words are helpful in dark times.
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