A Personal Challenge--Focus on Strengths

Herons' Winter Dreams
Accepted into the NWWS' 74th Annual International Open Exhibition to be held at the American Art Company, Tacoma, WA, Juror Donna Zagotta

Another "Surprise."

In my last post I quoted Alice Walker, "Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise." As I said in that post, the ups and downs of entering competitions and receiving both acceptances and rejections can keep an artist in a state of self-doubt and insecurity. Rather than letting the voice of a juror determine my perspective of my art journey, I can choose to keep focused on what I know about my own creativity and the art I produce.

Today I am challenging myself to bring to mind the strengths of my artistic efforts. And looking at this painting that was just accepted into the Northwest Watercolor Society's International Exhibition can help me focus on those assets.

• Over 20 years of painting, I have learned to apply and manipulate paint in many different ways. I have a full tool belt!
• I have found a topic I can discuss in my artwork over and over--my (humans) relationship with nature and the timeline of our existence.
• My viewpoint is unique.
• I have a whimsical side that comes through in my artwork.
• I have a lot more fun creating a backdrop for my subjects rather than painting reality. (It's a bit like creating a setting in a stage production.)
• Painting allows me to experiment and explore and find my art language.
• My design and composition skills come more naturally.

I challenge you, whether or not you are an artist, to concentrate on your strengths today. We all need a good dose of exploring our own self-worth.