Starting out in one direction
I was feeling the sentiment, but wasn't really feeling the image, not at that time anyway and I wanted to do something that was different.
Normally I have tried to stick with it and make it work, but I wondered to myself 'what if I just started again?' Why be so afraid of starting over. We can get so stuck at times feeling that change is somehow bad, or that we will never make what we started work out. We have to learn from each and every step, fall, or turnaround and not look at anything as a failure but as a learning experience.
Taking a step towards change
Hesitantly I started to gesso over what I had done and add a little bit of color, not sure of what I had actually wanted to do but knowing that I was going in the right direction, why not try something different? When coming up with a new painting I don't plan in the outset what I want to paint, but allow the colors I put down and shapes to reveal and visit the page.
Patience and a bit of prodding
Still undecided about the direction I decide to flip the page 180 degrees, to see what would present itself, and then I know that this is the direction that the paper should be and as I lay down some marks I begin to see a figure emerging, coming to join me in my creative journey.
A new image appears
There is no reason why you can't change your mind and see things in a different light, your still telling your story, stepping out into what could be your unknown and sitting in the uncomfortable-ness of it all. I used to think that if I changed my mind I would never be able to create another thing that was as good, but I know that sometimes changing our mind is stepping out into better, and not settling for what we feel that we want or should have in our lives, but really going for what we dream.
Anyway, I stuck with this painting and the new direction, and much prefer how it turned out, there is a sense of peace about it, and I have a sense of achievement that tells me I can change my mind, or start over and it will be alright. When we look back at our lives we can if we dare to look see the transformations that have taken place, they were not always easy, but when we keep going, acknowledge the fear but keep move on, we can often be surprised by the finished results.
Why Not? Mixed Media art by Amanda Trought
If you would like to buy a print of this piece I will be putting it up in my Society 6 store