Jun 62 min read

Embracing the Journey: A Tale of Redoing and Renewal of Artwork

My art classes just wrapped up today for the summer.

I am enjoying the sunshine on my deck with a cup of tea reflecting about how hard my students work. Dedication to art is a life long journey of discovery. I love that about art.

In the last couple weeks, I have been sharing the painting above with my students that I decided to rework. I do not do this very often, but I feel that it is very therapeutic to rework some thing in an attempt to make it better.

Art, much like life itself, is nonlinear. It ebbs and flows, evolves and transforms with each stroke of the brush. It is a rare painting that goes from idea to completion in a linear form. Paintings require work, rest and space to breath.

The journey of this particular painting spans five years. It was so-so before and I liked some parts of it, but that little voice inside was not completely satisfied, so I decided to revisit it. I almost gave up many times, but I’m now happy I pushed on, finally reaching a point of surrender to what my painting wanted.

The process for me is more of a listening, testing of patience, reflection, curiosity and courage to begin again. All the hours of work underneath the final layer had a worthwhile lesson, but the biggest one for me is to believe in a fresh start. After all, each painting is just a stepping stone to the next piece.

So, here's to embracing the journey—to trusting in the process, to finding beauty in the rework, and to believing in the power of a fresh start.

As the summer unfolds, may we all find inspiration in the endless possibilities that lie before us.

Happy creating!

In creative spirit,

Michelle