To Draw a Straight Line, and Other Artistic Endeavors
Today I am going back to the Daily Prompt for inspiration:
This took a little more thinking than usual about what skill I would want. My first step in this was to figure out what I am skilled at to see what was missing or could be improved on. Here is a very brief list I came up with in five minutes of what I bring to this world:
- I can type quickly.
- I have a very good memory for minutiae and details.
- I can write well (as needed at my job, blogs don’t count).
- I can use Access.
Notice a pattern? All items that can be related mostly to work. Maybe because I came up with the list at work, but still nothing fun or personal. I don’t know how to knit (still trying), swim (I can keep from drowning) or cook (microwave). Given this, maybe the skill I need to be able to master is one for me, and me only.Yesterday, the kid and I spent most of the day at the museum. We are lucky that our state’s museum is local and free for most of the galleries. Through February, they have a special exhibit of art produced by Dale Chihuly. Some may think of his work as deformed, multicolored jellyfish, but I get lost in the colors and the patterns in all of his art installations.
Ikebana Boat by Dale Chihuly. Obviously.
Art is something I love even though I have never had any talent or skill in producing anything close to it. I cannot draw a straight line. My self portraits in school looked like stick people, well past third grade. My photographs are always blurry or off-center. The Make-It and Bake-It suncatchers and Shrinky Dinks of my youth never turned out right, with the former’s colors bleeding over or the latter being cut unevenly. Even paint-by-numbers kits confound me to this day.
Yet I keep trying, because the idea of producing something beautiful is one that I want to make reality, even if I am the only that likes it. In a world where neutrals sell houses and are the staple of every workplace, I am drawn to color. Bright jewel tones, creamy pastels, you name it. It isn’t a coincidence that I have so many colors of nail polish to fit various moods. And none of them are beige or light pink , the neutral palette of a professional female.
So, how do I go about accomplishing this? Sure, a lot of it is natural talent but I can’t let that stop me. If natural talent was the only criteria for being able to try something or learn, then we wouldn’t have colleges or competition shows like “American Idol” or “Top Model” (these are just examples, hold the hate mail).
I have said in earlier posts about small steps being my plan for everything from giving up soda to fitness goals. Step one in developing artistic skills: learn to draw a straight line. Not that I want that to be my greatest skill; it will be the first one I get to master on my way to being able to paint and draw as I please.
Now, hand me that scrap paper. This is going to take awhile.
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Categorised as: Daily Prompt
I like your honest expression. With your positive attitude, you will learn just about any skill that will eventually bring a smile to your face. Hoping you will share the not so straight line as you dicover your artistry. I have learnt that we are all artist in our own rights.
Hey, if you figure out a trick to drawing that stright line thing, let me know. I have trouble with that too. Hmm, and with cutting in a straight line. And coloring within the lines. Grr, I’m just terrible at all those art essentials.