My Art Journey

 For years I tried to paint and draw just like other artists. It didn’t matter if the artist was famous or not. I painstakingly tried to copy what I saw, I used grids and photocopies and light boxes to give me an edge. Perhaps in this way I could learn perspective and details and realism. I ended up being sorely disappointed most of the time.  

I saved many of my old attempts at being a master artist. I am not sure why I did this; I surmise that in a way it is honoring the process of trying and failing over and over as an artist.  

Many times, I was so hesitant to start that I got a headache and sick to my stomach but I kept trying. I cursed the heavens in frustration and begged for guidance and asked why my art is so bad. There was no reply. I believed I had no Heavenly Magical Genie Muse.  

I have painted in oils and acrylics but I really love using watercolor paint. Watercolor seems to have a mind of its own especially when I experimented with different kinds of paper and volume of water.  

One day while practicing a miraculous thing happened. I placed green and gold and sepia on a cut up store card and burrowed the colors into a very wet piece of Fabriano twenty five percent cotton watercolor paper. The colors melded and exploded and moved and I saw shapes of trees and lakes and sky.  

The picture took on a life of its own; I carved out the tree trunks, popped leaves on the canopy, splashed blue gray into the sky and water. There it was, like a dream, I was the facilitator of color, and I was the channel though which the colors came alive.  

But something was different this time, as I took a good look at my painting the subject matter was not realistic but abstract and impressionistic. I realized at that moment that I am an abstract artist not a failed realist artist.  

I was elated and I continued as an abstract artist and never looked back. I am not sure why I didn’t realize this before but I know I am so very lucky to have realized exactly where my art practice needed to go.  

Turns out that my Heavenly Magical Genie Muse had been looking over my shoulder the whole time to make sure I kept practicing and not give up.  

I paint every day to make up for the time I spent trying to do realistic art and with every new painting I am reminded to keep practicing and finding awe in watching watercolor dance and swirl and sing on very wet Fabriano twenty five percent watercolor paper.

Georgia P.

5.7.2021