Outside the Lines

Outside the Lines

Boundaries help us focus on what’s important to us. There are more sources than you can think of when seeking advice about setting boundaries (personal, physical and emotional). Boundaries are how we value ourselves, how we communicate with others and how we teach others to do the same. Creating boundaries is crucial to our outlook on life. It’s also a “life skill” that adapts and evolves throughout our lifetime.

Does your desire to learn a new skill or topic have boundaries? The only boundaries are the limitations we put in our own way. Comparing ourselves to others, complaining about not having enough free time, not actually doing the work.

Life is messy. As an artist, we need to get messy. And I admit, I like order and simplicity. I’m working on being more laid-back. Artistically I’ve grown these past six months because I’ve set up stricter guidelines for my “painting time”. In addition to time-blocking, I’ve worked hard on simplifying my materials and refining my subject matter. It is helping my decision making or better said alleviating decision fatigue.

Imagine new paint on the palette, crystal clear water and a fresh surface to work on…those first paint strokes are clean, but as one tries to soften or mix in other colors the water gets cloudy, and the color palette loses its brilliance and luminosity. 

I actually like the murky water and I’m totally in love with the bleeding, blending and flowing watercolor on the paper. But just like in life if we don’t make consistent decisions or set limits, we’ll end up discouraged along with a yucky product and muddy, unusable paint. 

Does art have boundaries? The only boundaries that limit a painter are the edges and the borders of their canvas, paper, framing... Your imagination has no boundaries. Your talent has no boundaries, typically it’s just a lot of practice and focus. Your potential has no boundaries.

Our lives are a “composition”. It takes establishing a perspective, a narrative and a style all your own. The scope or breadth of our lives constantly expands and contracts. But what helps is defining the edges so we can live and create our very best work and life. Once we do this, it will be much more fun to play (paint) outside the lines!

You have to color outside the lines once in a while if you want to make your life a masterpiece.”  -Albert Einstein

Cheers!
JJH

Watercolor Titled: "Outside the Lines"
Inspired by letting the images escape the confines of the vase and create their own energy and beauty within the edges of the paper.

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