“…to boldly go where no one has gone before….”

complacency sucks

                  Images from "Earthly Delights" watercolor series in progress.

Well....at least to boldly go where I haven't gone before with my paintings.  

Lately I've been feeling complacent with my art work and complacency sucks.  Being too comfortable isn't a good thing for my creative brain.  It sort of makes me feel lazy and bored causing my inner creative spark to dwindle to a mere flicker.  And with only a flicker, there is little light within to radiate out -- leaving nothing but a dark canvas before my eyes.  (Oh, okay, maybe I'm being a bit to dramatic here, but I think you are getting the point). 

That's when the infamous words from the opening titles of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation beamed into my head.  (For you Trekkies, the original series had the words "...to boldly go where no man has gone before..."  where ST:TNG had the words "...to body go where no one has gone before...).  But I digress.

So, how did I break the weighing chain of creative complacency?  I stepped out of my comfort zone.  I boldly went where I have not gone before -- painting with bold watercolors using only red, yellow, and blue colors.  I took an art class with my talented friend Kate who taught us a method of using watercolors that I never tried.  It was inspiring!

No, it may not have been a huge artistic leap for me, but at least I tried something new that reignited my spark and has me excitedly exploring new painting civilizations.

If you are feeling kind of bored, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something different.  Maybe take a class to learn a different art technique or medium. Maybe pick up a pencil instead of a paint brush.  Sometimes all that it takes is one small step to get that fire lit again.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see my latest artwork. 

Peace and Live Creatively!
