Before I started writing this blog, I had to take several deep breaths. I sharing about something I am not naturally good at but I felt I needed to learn...painting, water color and acrylic. From drawing to decorating my house, I have never been artistically inclined. Yet over year I ago, I decided to take up painting.
I did this for several reasons. I was having a lot of anxiety and painting is supposed to help you relax. Unfortunately, I am only relaxed when the painting "turns out right." There is something peaceful about watching water colors spread across a canvas with a life of their own and just letting them be instead of trying to micromanage each brush stroke.
That leads me to the second reason I decided to take up painting. I needed to let go of my perfectionism. I'm showing you the painting that "turned out." Trust me, there are many that became big brown blogs. I will say I am pleased as peaches when I paint something and you can tell what it is.
Finally, I took up painting as a way of drawing closer to God. God is the ultimate creator and when we create in whatever form that takes, it is an act of worship.
With that said, I'll share some more of my paintings.
As Nancy said, I will be giving away a copy of my March release from Love Inspired Suspense,
Mountain Captive, so leave a comment with you email address.
Sharon, God sure has blessed you with creative genes! I love your water colors, especially your snowman...he's so cute! 😊 Thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone & sharing.
ReplyDeleteRW620 AT aol DOT com
thanks Robin
DeleteThey look great. I do love the cute little snowman. My brother is wonderful at drawing and does some painting, and I wish that gene had been passed to me lol. I craft and use watered down paint to achieve some of the colors I need and there is something about the different shades across the paper that is just beautiful and mesmerizing. Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletenstotts@sbcglobal.net
so true. one of the most relaxing painting I did was random circle on a page and then I painted them.
DeleteYour watercolors are lovely! My daughter is also enjoying artwork as a form of expression and relaxation. susiesellner at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteLove your artist creativity. I think we can be our own hardest critic. We have to remember that not everyone sees what we see, but that doesn't make what we see not count.
ReplyDeleteThrough the years I think I've tried just about every form or artistic expression from crafts to baking. Although I love to bake and have finally gotten pretty good at it, it's a fleeting thing that takes a quite a bit of time to accomplish only to be eaten and then it's gone forever. Hubby started doing photography first. It took me a few years to start to explore myself. I've always thought I'd break the camera or mess up the settings. After finally being told over and over that I can't screw things up and eventually believing it, I picked up the camera. Although not an expert, I am now comfortable with the camera and strive to improve with each photograph. I find it peaceful to try to capture God creation, whether of a place or a critter, and to get the image I see to appear on the snapped photo. It doesn't always work. In fact more times than not, I fail. The few times I succeed give me the encouragement to continue to try. Once I achieve on goal, then I set another. At least with photography the end result, like your painting, can be looked at for more than a few minutes and make you smile each time you see it. In a negative world, I try to shed some brightness and show others that God is good - like the photos are saying just look for yourself.
Thank you for the chance to receive a copy of "Mountain Captive". I would very much love the opportunity to read and review this fabulous book.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I used to love baking. But since I am trying to eat healthier and I don't have kids at home, I don't do it. But such a great way to be creative.
DeleteI have never thought of creating as an act of worship. Instead, I have felt guilty spending the time doing something creative rather than constructive. Thank you for opening my eyes to this!
ReplyDeleteWow. Those are beautiful. My sister was very artistic, and yours are as good as hers. I'm truly impressed. Anne at..mysanycat (at) aol (dot) com
ReplyDelete"Putting yourself out there" is a scary thing! Showing our vulnerability is never easy because we can open ourselves to being hurt. Boy, can I ever relate to that Sharon! I'm so glad that we can be open and vulnerable to God and know He's always on our side encouraging us.
ReplyDeleteI've never taken up painting, I think watercolors would be especially hard. I probably did those paint-by-number things as a kid, lol! I'm glad you found a way to get closer to the Lord through art. But I can certainly understand being stressed about not getting something "just right" :-) Aren't you glad God doesn't expect perfection?
Thanks for the giveaway chance to win a copy of "Mountain Captive".
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanks for the giveaway! Beautiful paintings! chendryx(at)nctv(dot)com
ReplyDeletenice paintings
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Beautiful paintings!! clhutson1016(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeletethanks. I learn something ever time I do one.
ReplyDeleteI love the snowman! jarning67(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI understand about the brown blob. lol. Only mine comes in the form of clay. I don't know how many pieces of clay ended up in the recycle bucket when I was first learning to throw. Unfortunately deadlines have taken my pottery time away so when I start again, I'll have lots of blobs. lol Beautiful paintings!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you took the risk. Those paintings are lovely! Thank you for sharing them. Perfectionism is something I struggle with, too. I often have to realize that fun is more important and that's how God intended it. racheltirzah(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are beautiful. I like paintings with scenery.
ReplyDeletedianah7272@gmail.com
I love that you paint as an act of worship! You do lovely work.
ReplyDeleteSo creative and pretty. God is good!
ReplyDeleteThe watercolors are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSonnetta_Jones(at)hotmail(dot)com
Great to see your watercolor paintings, Sharon! Glad you shared them! As an artist, what I've found helpful is to always have a light source in mind, contrasted with darker shadows that are realistic and appropriate to the topic. . . See my Western art for more examples of my style of painting:) www.facebook.com/LualOKrautter Also, a few years ago I took up crocheting on my own, and mad a number of scarves, and mostly creative original "Landscape" afghans, based on a wc painting, and/or reference material, etc., and even won a few ribbons, and "Best of Show" in our local mid Aug. Tri county Fair, which has been a good motivator:) A couple years ago, my husband gave me a camera for our anniversary which has been a real blessing, so I seriously have pursued photography, mostly wildlife and songbirds at our local (Arrowstone) Park, which really motivates me to take a "good" photo:) Hope all of this was encouraging, Sharon! Keep painting! Also, Read Is. 26:3. Thanks for the opportunity to enter a giveaway! As an avid reader of CF (especially of RSuspense), would love to win a print copy! Lual Krautter krautter12ATbresnanDOTnet
ReplyDeleteLual, so good to see you here. Thinking about light source is so hard but everything I read and watched says it's the thing that will make the painting come alive. I'm still learning how to do that.
DeleteThese paintings are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteShadowblossom222@comcast.net
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are inspiring! I crochet but only from a pattern. I’m not creative at all.
ReplyDeletetumcsec(at)gmail(dot)com
Your wonderful paintings are a beautiful act of worship to our awesome Creator. I hadn't thought of that aspect much before.
ReplyDeletemarypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
Merry