The Valuable Life Lesson Learned From Being Present in Plein Air

There are many places that make me very happy in this world, but they each have one thing in common: They’re out in plein air.

That is, they include being outdoors, whether on a lake in the Adirondacks, or in the woods of a Finger Lakes trail, or walking the dirt road around my country home.

When life gets messy or my mind gets foggy, it’s the outdoors that can set me straight. And this morning was no different: As I was strolling my normal neighborhood loop with Banks, a Blue Heron flew above us -- actually not just one, but three.

I have only one word for the experience: Bizarre.

Completely intrigued and feeling certain that it was a sign, I came back to my desk to dig into what the Blue Heron is all about. Here’s what I found:

From spirit-animals.com:

“If Heron has come wading across your path: It is time to look deeper into aspects of your life that will bring out innate wisdom and show you how to become self-reliant. Are you grounding yourself regularly? Heron teaches that grounding yourself in the earth and your spiritual beliefs will help you discover emotional insights more clearly and more quickly.”

From my friend Mara Gamiel:

“Meanings + messages: ability to stand alone, uniqueness, independence, call to balance, self-esteem, boundaries, dignity, exploration, peace, fluidity.

Great Blue Heron is a majestic bird who teaches us the wisdom of standing still, waiting patiently, while what we need comes to us. Allow the dignity of Great Heron to inspire you: practice walking with assurance and deliberation, taking your time and refusing to be hurried.”

A strong symbol -- and one I find incredibly relevant. I’ve had a few falls recently in my painting journey -- and my mind was focused heavily on them. They made me doubt my ability. I spent quite a bit of time beating myself up. Yet, on the other hand, I have a beautiful new website, I’ve gotten incredible feedback on the work I’m doing, and I have the freedom to pick up my paintbrush and express my authenticity at any given moment.

Witnessing the Blue Heron reminds me that amongst all this “busy-ness,” I’ve gotten lost. I haven’t grounded myself. I’ve seeked validation from others; I’ve tried to fit in. When really, my story is unfolding one experience at a time. It’s timed into where I am at right now. And painting is my way to bring light and healing to this world, to be independent, to explore, and to find balance.

What’s scary is that on any given day, I might’ve missed those Herons altogether.

When life steps up to teach you, open your mind and accept those lessons graciously. The only way to do that is to be present.

Find the Little Miracles

Though spring officially begins in March, here in the Finger Lakes, it’s May that truly embodies all that spring is meant to be: a time of rebirth, a time of refreshment, and a time of rejuvenation.

I see it as I walk in the morning: buds opening on lilacs, leaves suddenly adorning branches that have stood bare for months, fog dissipating into blue skies. The air is cool, but the sun warms it quickly. The birds wake me up, and the sound of rain lulls me to sleep. It’s this spring that I yearn for all winter. It’s this spring that reinvigorates my spirit for months to come.

And it’s this time of year, in particular, that I’m able to find the little miracles in each and every day. As the world fills back up with color, I count my blessings as I’m able to get outside and explore a never ending palette of inspiration.

It’s flowers that most remind me how miracles can be found in the littlest of things. And it’s for this reason that I love to paint them. They make me and others around me happy. They know no limits when it comes to color, or texture, or shape. They come in the most magnificent mixtures and carry the most beautiful scents.

I find myself feeling a bit silly when I tell people that my favorite thing to paint is flowers. After all -- are they not the most basic item placed in a still life from the time we’re in school? But then I remember this: Life is all about finding the small miracles; looking deep into seemingly simple things like flowers and realizing the impossibly complex striations of color, patterns of texture, and other details that make each one different from the next.

Don’t shrug the simple off as ordinary. Remember that inspiration is everywhere. From the intricate details that adorn an old stairway banister to the perfectly drooping willow tree on your front lawn, there is so much more to be seen than meets the eye at first glance.

With spring comes new life. With new life comes new miracles to discover. Take a closer look. Find the little miracles surrounding you.

Don’t Shelve Your Creativity as a Parent

Nearly two decades ago, when my son, Bryan, was just a kid (okay, he’ll always be a “kid” to me), he did a drawing at school. It was of him and I drawing together. On it, he wrote “My mom is an artist.”

To this day, thinking about him handing me that drawing when he got home brings a tear to my eye and a stroke of pride through my heart. Because from the time my kids were little, even before I was able to firmly profess it, they knew I was an artist. They announced it, excitedly. They shared it, with pride. They believed it.

While that means the absolute world to me, what makes it even more magical is that both my children, Bryan and Emily, have found a way to work art into their own lives. While their creativity has evolved from kitchen table crafts to art museums in New York City and textile designs in California, they’ve each embraced art with open arms throughout their entire lives.

I am incredibly happy that I was able to influence their creativity. Yet what they might not know is how much they’ve influenced mine. Helping them with projects; chaperoning their art field trips; painting in our backyard -- each and every time I got to make art with them, I found a little more inspiration to keep going myself. They influenced -- and continue to influence -- my creativity as much, if not more, than I was able to influence theirs.

While painting has taken center stage in my life today more than I ever allowed it to before, I am able to say that I never completely put my art on hold. I brought it out with my kids. I made it a part of their lives, and it grew and grew as part of mine.

They knew I was an artist. Now I know I’m an artist. Don’t shelve your creativity as a parent. Make it a priority for yourself and your children. Do it as much for yourself as for them. Creativity deserves to live, no matter age nor busyness. In expressing creativity, we can all live our own truths, and the connection you can find with your children through art is unlike any other.

P.S. The world deserves your creativity.

Push Past Your Limitations

I was fortunate to be in one of the best art programs in the country when I was in high school.

I don’t say that to brag; I say that because I’m still in awe of all that I learned there, and of the true depth of the lessons that have stuck with me in the decades since.

Despite always being deeply interested in creative projects since I was little, I began painting seriously in high school. There, I was blessed to have a teacher, Dick Trick, take me under his wing, teaching me watercolor and acrylic painting. But he also taught me much more.

One day, Dick pinned a bunch of work around the room. He told us it was from his previous students. The work was good -- it was very good. We all sat in stunned silence, with an internal dialogue starting, telling us that we could be producing work just as good.

He didn’t tell us until later that it was actually work from his very recent college years -- work that had more experience behind it; more fine tuning. His point? He wanted us to know that we could draw and paint like that. He wanted us to start thinking like true creative souls, with limitless possibilities.

All it took was pushing past the limitations we had imposed upon ourselves -- those mental barriers telling us we could only paint at a certain level, or we were only so good.

Dick filled the room with still life -- stalks of corn, a horse saddle, dishes, clothes -- and let us portray them as we wanted. He taught us about famous artists, taking us to a show of Andrew Wyeth’s work in New York City. He encouraged us to enter scholastic art awards. The art studio in school was filled with life. It was filled with inspiration. It was filled with opportunity. All because one art teacher believes all students have creativity deep within them and are only limited by their own beliefs about themselves.

Not everyone has someone like Dick in their life. I am forever grateful for him. I got more out of my high school years than most art students get through college, and even through life. The realization of my own barriers and the willpower to push past them have made an incredible difference in my art, far beyond the tactical lessons in different brushstrokes and styles.

And while the lessons he taught me stretch even further, if I could share only one thing with you, it would be this: Push past what you think are your limitations. Be brave. Just beyond your comfort zone is the place where you’ll be able to connect with your true creativity.

Creativity Is a Constant Evolution

One of the most important things I do in my business and in my creative life is to pause. To put things at a standstill. And to look in the rearview mirror to see how far I’ve come.

Even the days when I feel I’ve accomplished nothing can be celebrated when looked at in tandem with the little steps that were taken over a span of days, weeks, and months. Little steps add up to giant leaps.

I look at the evolution of my creativity the same way. While I believe we are all born with creative souls yearning to be released, I also believe that the creativity we are born with needs to be nurtured, encouraged, and put to use in order to grow. And with that use, your creativity will evolve.

My painting is the perfect example for me. As my predominant creative outlet, I can see its constant growth. My work is ever-evolving. My style is growing to where it wants to go. As much as I might try to direct it, it has a life of its own. And when I let my creativity take its own path through my work, I see that it truthfully reflects who I am when creating it.

Some days that means it reflects joy. Some days it reflects healing. Some days it reflects a struggle. But it is always me.

One of my absolute favorite things to hear from people who see my work is that I have a style that makes them happy. The truth is, it makes me happy, too. But I also know that it will change. It will grow. It will continue evolving, as it’s done each and every time I’ve picked up the paintbrush, put pencil to paper, or eye to camera lens.

In a way, I’ve come so far. At the same time, I still have so far to go. Nurture your creativity. Encourage your creativity. Put it to use and let it evolve. You’ll be astonished with what you can create.

Artists: Find Your People

Each and every Wednesday night, I have the pleasure of joining a group of painters at the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery in Canandaigua for an evening of painting. Come hell or high water (or snowstorm or stomach bug), I get myself there.

Not just because it’s an evening of doing what I love, or because I know the best way to refine my craft is by doing it more often. I make it a priority because despite loving the quiet that painting solo can bring, I know that there are certain parts of creative work that only other creatives can understand -- and surrounding myself with those creatives is crucial to my own success.

The group that I paint with on Wednesdays has become my painting family. These are people who understand the personal side to painting. They understand the “rejection” -- both the obvious external rejection all artists deal with as well as the internal rejection that keeps us stuck. They understand the incredible passion that goes into creative work, as well as the indelible hurt that can accompany it.

They struggle with the same internal monsters attempting to slay our spirit. They witness the subjectivity with which our work is often judged. They have such a deep understanding of the heart and soul that goes into painting that their empathy is unlike anyone else’s.

A creative’s work is a paradox in and of itself. While painting lifts my soul up, it also has the ability to stamp on it. The highest highs and lowest lows can be brought on in one single session. And sometimes, you just need someone who understands; someone who won’t pretend to have all the answers, but can see where you’re at and can assure you that you’re not alone. And sometimes, you need to be that person for others.

I am incredibly grateful to have found my people. Fellow artists: I encourage you to find yours. Surround yourself with people who understand. People who can lend a hand, a shoulder, or a word of advice. People who will ultimately help you deepen your creative soul and be better, all over.