Did this 12x16 pastel painting, finished it today.

You know, I pretty much gave up art as a teenager because

I felt I wasn’t good enough. I saw other students who did much better work than me and learned faster.

I let shame get in the way of doing something I really enjoyed.

When I had the transverse myelitis/MS attack that left me disabled, I realized I might not have all that much longer to live. And I asked myself, because I was grappling with depression at that point, what would really make me happy, make me want to get out of bed and face the day?

And the answer was playing with art supplies.

So I gave myself permission to buy some art supplies and do art as badly as I wanted to. The goal wasn’t to produce anything that anyone would like, it was to get me out of bed and to stop me from feeling sad for awhile.

It was just therapy, to rehabilitate my emotional state and also my right hand which became clumsy after a lesion in my brain near the “hand knob” took away my dexterity.

It turned out to be good therapy for me and I’m so grateful for the time, the resources and the space to be able to play with my art supplies.

And now, several years later, I’m even occasionally producing a painting that one or two people like enough to accept as a gift.

I hope to keep improving. Gives me something to look forward to.

I learned something. Life is too short. Give yourself permission to do something badly if it is something that brings you joy and doesn’t harm anyone else. Even if people laugh at you, it doesn’t really matter, because you only have one life and whatever happiness you can squeeze out of it, you should go ahead and take.

Did this 8x10 pastel painting today.

Trying to learn how to oil paint.

I have a lot of learning yet to do but the journey is fun and I feel lucky to have the time to play and the supplies to play with. I hope to get better with more study and practice, some day.

https://pin.it/VJ1dW76

Finished this 12x16 pastel today. My own work, not a paint along.

On gray pastelmat with various soft pastels. Thank you for anyone who looks at this!

https://pin.it/3KHillo

Seeing they are saying it isn't the cop guy....????

Today's paint along with Jacob Aguair

8x10 on UArt 600 grit paper

https://pin.it/1SHTVFq

Did a painting with my own reference photo

Trying to incorporate what I’ve been learning.

8x10 on UArt dark 800 grit.

The paint alongs always turn out so much better than my own attempts to design a panting, LOL!

https://pin.it/2C2f0Ex

Did another paint along, this time on Patreon with Jacob Aguair who is an amazing teacher

As well as an amazing artist. Can’t post the video because it’s only on Patreon, sorry.

https://pin.it/6kSKBgk

Did a paint along from a YouTube video

By Marla Baggetta.

Had lots of fun doing this.

https://pin.it/5xqqMHY