Lazy Artists

When I create something, anything (and I create lots of things), I like to just dive in and do it. I don’t spend much time thinking about how I’m going to do it or planning everything out ahead of time. I have tons of sketchbooks and yet I rarely use them for planning projects. Now that’s not to say that I never plan anything, just not much. Sometimes I believe that makes me a lazy artist. But, I think that the word lazy gets a bad rap!

A lazy artist enjoys the process. She enjoys learning new techniques, using new products, and asking herself, “what if…?”. My dear husband is the opposite of a lazy artist most of the time. That’s just his preference. He’s always telling me to stop pushing the buttons! I’m a curious soul and I like to push the buttons and see what happens. Sometimes it turns out to be a bad idea. And sometimes I discover things I never would have otherwise.

Last year I created a class for the local community college; Zentangle® Wreaths for the Holidays. I know, it’s a long title. It was a fun class to create and it was a popular class at the college. I decided to take that class and create a new one for teaching online. I have had such fun playing with wreaths again! I was looking for a new way to draw the wreaths for the new class. I created wreaths new tangles. I created wreaths with only one tangle and a ribbon. I drew them in black & white, I drew them in gel pen, I added color with pastel pencils, and I added color with watercolor. I enjoyed every moment!

I enjoyed drawing each one even though I didn’t love them all. I found joy because I love the process of drawing and the discoveries that follow the question when I ask myself, “what if I …?” And, pay attention; this is the key, I don’t care if I like the result or not! I do truly believe that the only way we can enjoy the process, it to have no expectations of the outcome. It’s only practice after all! Sometimes I love the outcome of my little experiments, and sometimes I don’t. In the latter, I usually learn something, and in both cases I have fun!

I hope you are a lazy artist too. Enjoy your day. Enjoy your life!

Tile next time,

Be you and be happy!