In June I attended a week-long painting workshop at Nimrod Art Center in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. It was an absolutely beautiful and inspiring location and a wonderful painting retreat. I had never done plein air painting and was apprehensive about the process and technique and of course, the idea of painting outside with the bugs and the heat. I like the comforts of my studio and my very controlled and detailed way of painting is best done from photographs. But, I also believe that every artist needs the experience of painting outside from life.
This week I received Alyson Stanfield's email entitled "Stop Defining Yourself in the Negative". She writes that you define yourself by what you say. If you say, "I am not.......", "I am not good at.......", I can't........", etc., you are defining yourself in the negative. You then become the person you are defining. Of course, the power of positive thinking is not a new idea, but one to reconsider as an artist.
I think that because I had many anxious thoughts and doubts about plein air painting, I was not as successful as I would like to have been.
So, next time you have those negative feelings, fears, doubts......remember that you are defined by your thoughts and comments. What you say and feel become ingrained in your very being.
