A few weeks ago I was asked to lead workshop participants in yin yoga. I gladly agreed. Facilitating yin practice is easy. It is familiar territory. I can do it with my eyes closed. Afterward, I was also invited to stick around for the art part. Though I admire those who paint and draw, sculpt and carve, I shy away from doing art myself because I don’t think I can make anything look like it is supposedly supposed to look. But, I was curious, so I stuck around and did some art.        

  Creating

I don’t have fond memories of any art classes from my educational experiences. Instead, I remember tolerating those requirements more than enjoying them. But, I was willing to set aside those past memories and try a new experience with a new mindset. 

The art teacher for the workshop, Diane, was very kind and amiable. She possessed a sense of humor, genuineness and a zeal for art. Since I do not see myself being good at art, I felt vulnerable, but yet safe enough to sit down at the table where a blank sheet of 9 x 11 piece of paper waited just for me. Then, for the next two hours, I let Diane lead me through an art lesson along with the rest of participants.

The goal for our particular project, Diane told us, was to create art cards. She showed us an example of what she meant; a set of nine cards, each one different, with a little message written on its backside. 

Because I am goal oriented, I was grateful that she had a specific project in mind for us to complete. Besides, my curiosity was piqued. How would she get us to the finish line and what would my set of cards look like? Art is said to be the use of our imagination to create something and so I wondered how imaginative I would be with this project.

First, we gathered our supplies from a supply table laden with all kinds of stuff; pencils, paintbrushes, a basket of small gadgets, some old books and magazines. We were told to pick out a pencil, some colored pencils, a few paint brushes and a palate of paint; little squirts of color on paper plates. Back at our places we began with what would be the first of many layers; scribbles.  Easy enough. I know how to scribble. Then we traded papers. “Part of making art cards involves conversation. Using your colored pencils, I want you to respond to your partner’s scribbles by writing ten words on those lines,” Diane instructed us. It was easy to come up with ten words, but I did worry about spelling them correctly. 

Then we traded papers again. “Now, I want you to draw one line down the middle of the page and paint over it.” Diane demonstrated her line. It was not a straight vertical line, instead, it snaked around the page. I made my conservative curvy line and chose a color from my palate to paint it. We traded papers with our partner once again. I had to wonder, do I have my paper or my partner’s? I’d lost track and found that it no longer mattered.

Over the span of the next two hours we added more layers. Some with paint, and others with imprints from the basket of three dimensional objects. Our final layer involved tearing out pictures and words from the magazines and old books and then gluing them to our picture. 

Finally, we handed over “our” finished project to Diane to cut into pieces and she handed back to us, our own set of art cards to write little messages onto. I liked what I saw on my little squares. Without too much hesitation, I wrote nine kind remarks to myself such as; Consider the impossible as possible, Reach upward, and Risk telling your story. 

Closing out our time, Diane asked all of us how we thought it went. I told her that with every layer I added to the picture, I was a little more excited and a little less worried about the outcome. 

Why bother with art? Art is creating. Art is discovering. Art is sharing. Art is a lot like life. Adding layers to my picture to make my art cards reminded me of how the events and experiences in my life have added different layers to my life. Previous events not only become the backdrop for the present, they also become part of the present. Since no one is ever 100% sure of what might be next, or how it will turn out, our response is what matters most. Can I be a little more excited and less worrisome?