Grateful
Torn Between The Two © 2007 Jessica Torrant
Reprinted here with permission from the Artist
Ink and watercolor painting 4.5" x 5"
I bought the above piece from Jessica Torrant in January this year. I really love this painting as it so accurately captures the anguish many decisions can cause for me. This last weekend I reorganized some of the art on my walls and I was reminded again how much I can relate to this piece and wanted to share it with everyone.
Sometimes it’s too easy to focus on the negative things in life. Like my dilemma of working full time when I’d rather make art, or the fact that I went on 8 trips out of the state in the past 10 months and I feel completely scattered as a result of being gone so much, or… well you get it. The list can go on and on if I wanted to focus on it.
So lately I’ve decided to take some advice I’ve heard many times and have even suggested to others. Each night I write down 3 things I am grateful for that happened during day. I haven’t been doing it long but I know I am rather hard on myself. Thinking about and writing down my accomplishments and other joys has really helped me keep things in perspective.
I fulfilled my goals for the long 4th of July weekend. In those 5 days I spent 50 hours in my studio, 5 hours working in my yard and about 7 hours on the business of art. Plus I baked myself a peach cobbler and I organized my office. Reading Christine Kane’s Post asking Where is Your Attention really helped me stay focused on the positive throughout the weekend. It’s so easy to get distracted by the internet but I turned off my computer and turned my intentions into a reality.
Posted by Lisa in: Being an Artist
I’m glad to hear that you’re working stuff out. I love Jessica’s work and have had my finger on the buy button several times – I keep telling myself, when I make X amount of dollars, I’ll buy this or this. But, we should probably do these things when the mood strikes. Sometimes I self censor too much.
Lisa, I am so glad you finished your goals for the July 4 weekend. You are amazing! And a great model – of focus and concentration.
I like this painting a whole lot – I will have to go look at Jessica’s other work.
You know I get torn with decisions too. Great image of what it feels like.
Good reminder of focusing on the positive – and having patience with ourselves – and forgive (and embrace) ourselves for being human.
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog
Love this painting also. Thanks for sharing it.
And I am green with envy that you spent that much time in the studio AND had a homemade peach cobbler. That’s heaven!
Writing down three things to be grateful for on a daily basis is one of the best things I have ever done. I have kept this ritual up for the past four years and believe it has made me a happier person. On really bad days I can still find three things even if one of them is “just breathing”
Hi Lisa,
thank you that I had the possibility to stumble over this post. It’s my first day of vacation, I’m very exhausted, I want to get accomplished manymany have-to-dos and want-to-dos. Now I’ve got lost not for the first time in all those beautiful blogs with the result of getting more and more ideas into my head. So many ideas that I won’t do anything, because it’s too much.
Yes, now I will do some blogging myself and than shut down my notebook.
But for sure I will visit your blog very soon.
Take care
:-Tally-:
t.tally.blogspot.com
What a beautiful piece of art, I can’t wait to go and check out her work…thanks for sharing!
Your success over the weekend is motivating me to spend some serious hours in the studio this weekend. I want to explore some new ideas.
One of my great downfalls when I have time…is the internet…and blog world, like Tally said…I get so lost I get nothing done…so I’ve learned to just not turn it on.
Funny what you were saying about gratitude, I was just sharing that idea with my cousin last night…reminding her how much she has to be grateful for and to make sure she practices gratitude.
Thanks Lisa for the reminder about the gratitude list. I kept one for quite a while, and maybe its time again for one. An alternative I’ve been doing lately is to share 5 images from the day with friends, family, my partner, whoever I am sharing the evening with. Taking turns sharing mental snapshots makes me more aware of the daily moments of grace, beauty, interest and power.