I started a new painting today. This happens a lot, so I don’t know why I haven’t gotten use to it by now, but that moment of starting is at once exciting, hopeful, and daunting.
I have a hard time working out ( I blame the kids + schedule, but it’s totally just me) but I often think that starting a painting is like starting a race. You’ve signed up for it. All eyes are on you. But what if you freak out half way through and it’s super embarrassing? Or what if you get confused and take the path that goes to the woods when the person commissioning the painting wanted you to go to the beach? But the love of the race is enough to make you start. It get’s me every time. …and I do love, love, love this race.
Today’s painting is teal (as many of my paintings are) so I washed the canvas in shades of green and blue and cream, spoiling the perfect minimalistic white canvas that had been there. I keep making marks, shaping and forming clouds and land and, honestly, it keeps looking worse and worse.
But I press on. Fighting. Loving. It’s nearly a game: my hands vs. my ideas.
By the end of the day this painting will be completed and it will be up on my mantle (where all the paintings go when they are “done”) and then I’ll get that sweet feeling of pride and accomplishment that makes the race totally with it.
It’s on a good course. But at this moment, while is sits on my easel, flaunting it’s flaws and unfinished spaces, it needs more love, more fight, more passion.
I love that phrase “follow your passion” so much these days. When you’re in the thick of it; excited, tired, drained, and yet loving every moment, it is passion that strengthens you. It is not some illusive idea or an ethereal feeling. Passion is love, heart, grit, and determination. If you are passionate about something, you are willing to suffer for it. Long hours, sore fingers, hours of thought, sacrifice… totally par for the course.
Sometimes it’s less about what you do and more about how you do it. Loving what you do or what you create, having that passion and fire within, spills over into how you do it.
Quality comes of love.
This post was originally written for the beautiful blog Sarah In Pursuit which you should totally check out because Sarah is lovely and so is her blog!
Until next time!
beautifulhelloblog.com 
Now I’m inspired to paint! 🙂
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Hooray!! I hope you did! -EJ
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I love your take on passion here. I can relate to it a lot! Love your work x
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Thank you! And thank you for reading! xo, Emily
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I get like that writing sometimes. It’s almost euphoric – writing so hard I can’t stop, not always liking what I write and wanting to do more, so it gets better.
Odd, but happy.
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Couldn’t have said it better myself!
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YES! Exactly. It’s the process that inspires and satisfies. Keep writing! – EJ
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Reblogged this on ofkindredspirit and commented:
Love the artistic process described in this blog.
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Love your blog!!!! Hope you’ll love mine too! 🙂 Please find time visiting and following my blog! Thanks! 🙂
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I also like to start paintings! It is the greatest moment except that of finishing 😉 And when I start one, I want to start another one at the same time! 🙂
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Beautiful! I have sort of an artsy blog too. Nothing like this, because mine just focuses on sketches, but I love your work. A true artist’s blood is MADE of passion.
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Very inspiring. Makes me want to paint again
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I also have a passion for painting, writing and anything artistic. I would love to see some of your paintings.
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Such inspiring, and true, words! I know where my true passions lie, because I never fail to press on when my exhaustion would have stopped me from doing many other things. Thanks for sharing!! (Tweeting 🙂 )
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Yes.
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true inspiration… really liked your blog… 🙂
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Love your paintings!
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