This week we studied Matisse.

He was one of the few artists who created the very short “Fauvism” style of painting – strong colours over the accuracy of colour or shapes, so things were intentionally out of proportion.

So it was back to using bold colours, thick layering of paint (and using a palette knife again!) as well as some brushwork in places.

What I enjoyed about this week was that there was very little preparation – the outline of where I wanted the vase, the positioning of the two main sunflowers and where the corner of the walls and table were and that was it.

Both liberating and fun!

It still helps to have an idea and some direction before starting the painting as it is for anything else in life.

Sometimes there has been a lot of preparation and detail (for example Tiger, Tiger) and other times is almost a whisper of an idea and then picking up a paintbrush and applying paint.

What I’ve learnt over the last year is that each approach has a place and that then comes down to choice when I’m planning the painting I’m about to do.

And as I look back on my life, there have been times when I’ve planned things meticulously and other times when I’ve been spontaneous and flown by the seat of my pants. What’s interesting is that neither approach has necessarily been better or worse than the other – things have gone well while others have had disastrous outcomes with both approaches!

I think the biggest lesson with this is not about which approach to use when you need to make a decision, but more about just MAKING a decision and going with it.

All too often we get caught up in indecision because we might get it wrong… we might make a ‘mistake’.

In my mind, there are no mistakes or failures… just outcomes that didn’t come out the way we expected them to, and the opportunity to learn from that and choose a different approach.

And remember:

“Failure is a detour; not a dead-end street.” – Zig Ziglar

So next time you’re faced with indecision over something and you end up putting it off, just pick one option and go with it. It may not work out how you intended it to, or you may just find that the result isn’t as bad as you think it might be.

Much love xx

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling with fears or beliefs (or anything else for that matter) and would like a confidential chat, reach out jez@jezhunt.com

#acrylicpainting #lifejourney #continuousimprovement #stayfocused #accidentalartist #inthenow