Above is my first attempt at a girl. This was in early 2006. I was playing and learning and discovering the idea of pairing words with girls. She’s awkward, embarrassing, wonderful, beautiful, and telling. And she represents a starting point.
Can we allow ourselves the sacred gift of being beginners? Please? Not just on the canvas, but off. Let’s make mistakes, and go through awkward phases. Let’s learn from them and keep going. Even though we’re grown, we have so many parts of our lives where we are (our could be if we allowed ourselves) precious beginners (creativity! vulnerability! leadership! parenting!).
Let’s keep showing up for ourselves, allowing ourselves to be new at something – and with the kind of warmth and kindness for ourselves that a dear teacher or beloved would extend our way. The last 12 years of my life as an artist would have never happened if I hadn’t allowed myself to make beginning paintings like these with a kind heart toward myself and without the kindness of others (my blog community back then!) encouraging me to keep going.
That is my wish for us today. That we follow our whispers to new beginnings -whatever they may be – and that we are good to our hearts along the way.
YOU are a work of art!!!!
I’m in love with your work!!
Thank you for sharing your first girl painting!She’s beautiful. It’s wonderful to see artists beginnings. I have two pairs of my first earrings I ever made and they’re a marker of not only how far I’ve come but how much I loved and believed in what I was doing. Yes I cringed when I saw my first attempts at making a loop(more like a skinny oval) but I also marveled that I didn’t give up. You sharing your first painting brings me joy. I returned to my art inspired by you and your book. Thank you!
It’s so nice to have the record of the beginnings, right? It’s no different than looking at childhood photos for me!