In a world full of uncertainty, I always found it important to have at least one thing that you know you can count on, something that comforts you. The one thing that nothing or no one could take away. For some it could be reading; opening your mind and allowing yourself to be taken wherever an author directs your imagination. For others it could be running, physically sweating away any stresses or imperfections the day could have had. For me, however, this thing was always art.
Over the years, there have been times when the only thing that kept me grounded or gave me any piece of mind was touching a paint brush to a canvas or expressing my words through writing. It was always about expressing how I felt and sometimes the best way for me to do that was not with words or through conversation, it was through colours or paragraphs that would go unseen by others most of the time. Going through life can be tricky, it can be filled with mistakes and smiles and heartache, all of which has a series of lessons to teach. Some lessons, however, I learned from creating. Here are a few of them:
Be patient.
Trying to create something, whether it be a story or a painting, can be frustrating sometimes. It almost never comes out the way you want it to. This could be because the colouring is a little bit off or you can’t find the words that you know would make a certain sentence but in my opinion, that’s what makes art special. You could start your project with a certain idea of what you wanted and you can change your mind a thousand times, but no matter what, there will always be a finished product. Art has taught me that even if you’re idea is a little messy or you’re not exactly sure how a story is going to end, be patient with yourself. The story will be finished and the canvas will be filled, eventually.
Be yourself.
If I could name my favourite thing about art, it would be that no two pieces are the same. No matter how hard you tried, you could not paint the same painting or draw the exact same picture. I see a lot of duplicates in life, in people. A lot of people try to follow one another in an attempt to be just like them but despite their efforts, that will never happen. There will always be certain traits or things about them that make them uniquely themselves. It could be the way they speak or their favourite kind of ice cream, but it will always be something. Art has taught me that even if it’s a little too colourful or some words aren’t placed right, a painting can still be beautiful and a story can still have meaning without following or being like any piece of art before it. It has taught me that before anything, be yourself. You may be a little too colourful for some people but to others you’re exactly the rainbow they’ve been looking for.
Be observant.
The beauty of art is in the details. The way certain colours mix together to make a new shade or the way certain words can paint an entire mural in your mind. It’s truly remarkable what you can learn about the world if you just pay attention. Pay attention to the subtle colours around you and the new words and sounds people use around you. The small details you observe could be your inspiration. The small things you observe could be exactly what you need to spark your next idea but you could miss it in a blink of the eye if you’re not paying attention. I’ve seen more beauty in the world and in people by being observant. Listen, feel and see more, it will fascinate you how much more you appreciate the small things in people and in the world.
Art is defined and perceived differently by everyone but the one thing that every piece of art has in common, is creativity. You don’t need to be good at painting or a definite wordsmith to conceive something beautiful. Be ready to be patient, be yourself and be observant and there will be no limits on what you can create.
