Have you ever dared to step way outside of your comfort zone? I did just that this week, and I am glad I did.
My friend Joan Barris was hosting a 2 day watercolor painting workshop in one of my favorite places, Lakeside on Lake Erie. I went, not so much for the painting, but for a chance to savor this most gorgeous time of the year with my friends Dianna and Ann. Maybe I would learn something too.
I have never watercolor painted before, except if you include those little paint boxes we used in elementary school. I was so completely clue-less. I never even thought to ask Joan if I needed to bring anything for the class. Imagine my surprise when I learned that I was supposed to have brought paints, watercolor paper, brushes, paint mixing tray, a pencil, paper towels and a big cup to hold my water. Fortunately, Joan scrambled into her cupboard and found me what I needed, including some old brushes, tubes of paint, a mixing tray and paper too.
When I arrived at class, everyone looked like they knew what to do. They all had fancy supplies lined up at their tables and about 4 times as many colors as I had in my make-shift box. I thought to myself, “What have I gotten into?” Joan seated me between two ladies she considered to be capable artists and asked them to keep an eye on me. Maybe she was afraid I would spill something?
Our instructor, Bob Moyer, an accomplished artist in his eighties, had us all gather around his painting station to show us our first assignment. We traced a fall barn scene from a sketch Bob had made. Bob began by demonstrating how to create a painted sky. From there, he blended the colors of fall foliage and sent us back to our seats to begin. I felt woefully unprepared, but picked up the brush anyway and got started. Right away there was yet another set-back. My brush had a hair loss problem. As I painted, there were hairs everywhere. Dang! I persevered anyway figuring I could dust these off the paper after the paint dried.
My first watercolor painting
Bob came around the room to give tips and help people like me. As he drew close to my table, I braced for criticism. It never came. Bob actually came in with compliments and suggested that I had lied about not having painted before. He called me Susie the entire day, so I was never quite sure if he was being serious. I just kept painting.
At the end of day one, I had created a respectable painting of a fall scene, feeling good enough as a beginner to post a photo of me with my painting on Facebook. A sushi dinner with my friends, followed by fabulous chocolate made it a great day.
Day two began as I walked the dog along the lakefront beholding a glorious sunrise. I immediately found myself making a mental note about how I would watercolor that sky! Yes, I had already learned something that changed my way of thinking forever.
I was excited about day 2 of the class because I knew we would be painting flowers in a vase. I love flowers – so much more inspiring than some old barn! Bob immediately dazzled us by demonstrating how to create the look of a clear vase by using colors and blending light. We were supposed to paint the silk flowers in a vase at the front of the room but one woman kept standing in front of the flowers and blocking my view. I decided to surrender and painted a bouquet I liked better from flowers stored in my memory. That was liberating. I guess that was when I realized I wasn’t a beginner anymore.
My second painting - flowers I liked better than the ones in the room
Comfort zones are meant to be broken and when comfort returns it means you have grown. I’m already planning to return to this painting workshop which will be held the same time in 2013. Maybe you’ll want to sit next to me.
