I’ve been watercolor painting step-by-step from paint-on-page instructional books on weekends, writing haiku, and relaxing in the paint peace. A Slice of Life blogger shared her Emily Lex watercolor workbook in March, and it reminded me of the one I’d seen in a shop in Woodstock, Vermont but didn’t buy because of the lack of luggage space. And then I was drawn back to wanting to (try to) paint.
It’s not like I’m talented or anything. Not naturally, anyway. But I can read and follow directions. It’s what I told a friend who once said she was glad her mother never taught her to cook so she would never be expected to. “If you can read, you can cook,” I assured her. And so it is with painting. If I can read, I can (try to) paint.
Fellow blogger Glenda Funk discovered she loved watercolor through a recent painting class I also signed up for, but my work life prevented my attending the actual classes, and in the midst of testing season I didn’t find the time in the evenings to go back and watch the recordings. Her paintings are vibrant and beautiful – the kind you can frame and put on your wall. When I’m retired, I will take a sure ’nuff painting class either online like Glenda or in person like fellow blogger Margaret Simon, who is also finding joy in the process. So does Anita Ferreri. Fellow blogger Debbie Lynn has also shared her gorgeous sketches and art forms, and more and more I’m inspired by all that our writing community does to express creativity through various forms of art. I wish we had an Art Market blogging day so we could share blog posts on how we blend writing and other art. I’d love to see more.
One flower new to me is a protea, and while I’ve never seen a protea in person, they remind me of a tall, thin water lily like on the logo above. Apparently the painting is relaxing me more than I realize. I came home from work yesterday all stirred up over an issue, and after listening to me whine for a while, my husband said, “You just need to sit down and paint.”
And I was relieved that he didn’t say, “You just need to cook.” He is alive and well this morning because of it.
Protea Haiku
pink, red, yellow, white
nectar-rich cone-shaped flower
South African bloom!
Common Threads 
I like your comparison of painting to cooking. I can read a recipe, even though I usually have to read and reread, read and reread. I’m not a confident cook. Nor does it relax me. Quite the opposite. The thing about painting is it puts me into another space in my head. The space where poetry resides, too. I don’t share every poem I write and won’t share every painting, but they are both compelling and creative. To me, cooking is just reading.
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Such a great post where you’ve combined painting and poetry with a comparison to cooking. It’s all about CREATING and you are so cleverly doing it all. Your confidence will grow with more practice because the goal is expression, not perfection!
BRAVO!
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I love your watercolor paintings! How inspiring and fun to find a new joy in life, Mom!
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Kim,
We’re gonna have to make time for painting together when we’re in Portland. I’m gonna buy some travel supplies to pack in my carry-on. I love these botanicals you’re painting. This one is so lovely. I wish more people understood how empowering reading is. I’ve been following the recent reports about the decline in reading. It’s heartbreaking. We are so blessed to have creative outlets to help us through hard times.
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