Ok, so remember the blue I was having fun with. That blue dress with the yellow flower I saw at Anthropologie. If you want to see what I came up with and a little color inspiration, then by all means, read on.

So there I was, mixing blues and painting textures. It was good, but it didn’t feel quite right. I love this blue, but it’s too bright for me. Yes, I wanted to doodle botanical flower patterns with a light blue, almost white color, but even then, it was too bright for me.

Sometimes one must observe like this and grow. That is what I am doing. The doodle painting is in the trash. It was good practice. Some colors are meant to make other colors pop. You just need a little for that. I can either focus on the paint that I used for it to go in the trash. Or I can think of the time I went slow, thinking of my Anthropologie finds. I will be painting again, but a softer blue.

Oh, the yellow flower was a total surprise! Here’s why.

For some reason, this painting speaks to me. Yes, I mixed up different blues. It turns out that burnt sienna does beautiful things to phthalo blue and ultramarine. Thanks to my letting go and entertaining my curiosity, I have found new ways to use color. Oh, and a powerful lesson that sometimes things are not going to go as planned. They might even be better.

My canvas is an actual canvas with paint. Yet the lessons I learn are for everyday life.

To recap, here is what I have learned:

• Painting is a wonderful way to slow down and enjoy a peaceful life
• Observe what you like, it’s you that makes your art
• In every session, there is a gem. There is no good or bad. Just learn and grow.
• Life is better when you stop trying to control everything and live your life

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