TALENT

Barbara discussed talents, gifts, and abilities in her blog yesterday. In light of my struggles with painting, I began to ponder talent--or lack thereof! I have a granddaughter, Em, who can sit down and draw a picture that is an exact representation of something she has seen in the past. She really has a natural talent for drawing with ease and confidence. I, on the other hand, struggle with drawing and painting and writing--but I enjoy all three activities! I relish the creative process of starting with nothing and coming out with something that gives me pleasure. It is the struggle between beginning and ending that gives me more grey hair than I already have!

One thing I have learned over the years is that tenacity goes hand-in-hand with creativity. For me creativity is a process (writing, painting, drawing, etc.) and takes time. I do not whip out a painting in one sitting, but might work on it for months. I write, rewrite, and edit before I am satisfied with what I am writing. I tweak, adjust, rework and then finally declare a piece "done."
I suspect that one of my greatest talents is tenacity.

Perhaps you writers might like to make a list of your talents, gifts, abilities, then pick one to write about in more detail. Perhaps you might also like to describe the tenacity you have for completing projects you begin!

Quirk #6 - Oil Painting

6. I am relearning how to oil paint and am having a grand time smearing paint on canvas, good shirts, shiny new easel and everything nearby--such fun! Maybe I need to revisit my finger painting days also!

I am really having a wonderful time relearning to oil paint. It has been a LONG time since I painted with oils--probably about 30 years and it has taken several months to be comfortable with the process once more. I have finished three paintings and messed up a couple more. On the easel is a poppy that I am beginning and a bluebonnet that is finished and ready to be varnished and framed. I have two more paintings in process.

My husband caught another picture of me painting out on our deck. I love to be out there in the fresh air and amongst all that green of the outdoors. However, it is becoming a bit warm some afternoons to paint out there.


Tomorrow is my class and I have to go load up my car with my painting supplies.


Write about the creative things that you do. Do you have creative urges? How do you honor those creative urges?