Lots of Learning Curves Going On

Wow, what a beginning to this school year! With getting 3 kids at 3 different schools back into their routines, I feel like I need to take a big breath and exhale. There are just so many school forms to sign, lunches to pack, teachers to meet, and coaches to avoid : ) Actually, I truly wish I was a better sports mom than I am. I thank God that my husband knows what he is talking about when it comes to the subject. Growing up in a family that didn't follow team sports, I sometimes I feel like a fish out of water! This is particularly true at football games. I get by with a little help from my friends (you know who you are). I'm lucky to know what position my son plays, if only in title. Am I the only one who didn't know that the refs have blue beanbags tucked in their belts to throw down in certain situations to mark where the football lands? I'm told it's for turnovers (not the kind you bake). So while I figure this out ... I'll be the mom cooking team meals and refilling water bottles. 

The good news is, I'm willing to stretch myself outside of my comfort zone and ask the questions I should probably already know the answers to ...

I've been so impressed with my art class of students who are also stretching themselves. My Tuesday class is full of adults who have always loved art but have not felt confident enough to give it a go -- until now. It's inspiring growing alongside them and laughing at our learning process. I've come to believe that 75% of the time we should be "failing" in our attempts to try something new. This means that we are working outside of our comfort zones and trying different techniques, mediums and projects. It's essential to look clueless sometimes in order to grow and progress in life and in art. Kudos to those of you who are making yourselves vulnerable enough to learn something new!

"Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what's next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark." 
- Agnes De Mille

OK, so it's true you can "know how" about some things but isn't it true that we should keep learning more about what we do know. Take faith, for instance. To just carry on day to day, not reading, praying or growing, will create an atmosphere conducive to stagnating.

Since we are talking about self growth, here is a small example of my process this week. I'm designing self-promotional materials for a new avenue I'm exploring. I have been challenged to start offering private or small group art lessons. To create a postcard, I needed some appropriate art. I typically focus on painting food and local Oviedo scenes, so it was a little unusual for me to paint the very materials with which I work.

Here is the art all put together into a new postcard design. I'll be using this at local art shows to promote my classes and private lessons. In the end, I'm happy with the way it turned out. Now pass me a concession stand hot dog with relish and spicy mustard!