Updates from Terri on Her Art Journey
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Packing up my little loft studio in my Connecticut condo last week was bittersweet. I really enjoy painting in that sweet space. But the morning we left, the temperature was 34 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much too cold for my weary old bones. Furthermore, while the fall colors of New England are stunning, the leaves will soon be off the trees.
So, it’s a blessing to get back to my sunny Las Vegas home, where my backyard is a lush green and the flowers are still blooming. When we arrived, it was a balmy 75 degrees (40 degrees warmer than Hartford!). Still unplugged this week from the internet and social media (I barely even looked at Facebook), I spent most of my days unpacking and reacquainting myself to my desert home and environment. It’s cheered me up immensely. And, although I may stay unplugged for a bit longer, I think I’m just about ready to start painting again. The flowers have inspired me.
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The autumn colors here in New England are amazing and picturesque. But the brisk chill in the air tells me it’s time to move on.
So, my husband and I spent much of last week packing up our condo for the winter. We’re ready to get back to our warm and always sunny home in Las Vegas. I shall miss my little loft studio, where I did a lot of painting this summer, particularly during the month of August. God willing, we will be back next year, just as temperatures in Nevada begin to rise to triple digits. Staying true to the sabbatical from my busy life and art journey, I have not picked up a paintbrush or colored pencil for the past three weeks. Instead, I’ve been watching movies about art and videos of other people painting.
Currently, I’m hooked on Bob Ross. Honestly, I’d never watched “The Joy of Painting,” which is the instructional television program created and hosted by Bob Ross. It aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS in the United States, and I may be the only American citizen alive during those eleven years who never saw a single episode. But, as I said, I’m hooked now and so I went to Wikipedia to learn more about this fascinating guy and why I’m so mesmerized by him. Combining a wet-on-wet oil painting technique, which he learned from Bill Alexander, along with the use of large (one and two inch) brushes, as well as painting knives and a limited palette, Bob can complete a 16” x 20” painting (usually a landscape) in less than half an hour. That alone is fascinating. However, what truly sets him apart from other painters I’ve been watching on YouTube is his calm and relaxed approach and encouraging words. He repeatedly says everyone has inherent artistic talent and things like, “we don’t make mistakes; we just have happy accidents.” Turns out I’m not the only one who may be addicted to Bob Ross. Apparently his videos became quite popular with devotees of ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response). ASMR refers to a pleasant form of paresthesia, or tingling, often brought about by visual or auditory stimuli. When experiencing ASMR sensations, some people report pleasant feelings of relaxation, calm, sleepiness or well-being. No wonder I’m hooked! Bob Ross is the perfect addition to my Sabbath rest. OK, so whether it was post-travel depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (or some other disorder), I’m no longer feeling sad or gloomy. However, I am feeling exhausted, and I THINK I need to take a break.
Last week, I took some time off from my rather hectic schedule to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my wonderful husband; we stopped by Mark Twain’s house in Hartford for a quick visit. Later in the week, we entertained family and friends, quietly at home. It was lovely. And then, as I always do at the beginning of a new quarter, I assessed my progress over the previous three months. During the third quarter of 2023, I spent 71 hours on my artwork, producing 20 paintings and 13 sketches; in the month of August, I produced another series of paintings (31TREES) that I posted daily on FaceBook; on my ten-day tour of Greece, I took hundreds of reference photos, some of which I shared on Social Media; I wrote 13 blog posts for my website; I participated in a community art show and made nearly $300, selling paintings. I actually exceeded my goals for the third quarter! Gee, no wonder I’m exhausted. I do need a break. As my pastor, Marty Williams of Anthem Community Church, reminded us in a recent sermon, we need to remember the Sabbath. Even God took a “day” to rest from creating. For me, that means stopping and resting. I need to STOP being so busy, striving to produce (accomplishing what?). I need to STOP letting my anxiety dictate my life and my schedule. If producing art is making me anxious; if it’s about accomplishing rather than co-creating with God to bring joy to myself and others, then I need to STOP and step back. So I’m giving myself a break. I’m taking a break from setting goals (at least for the rest of this year). I’m only going to paint when the spirit moves me and I’ll paint for pure joy, not for any other purpose or to meet some deadline. I’m going to take a break from Social Media (at least from the compulsion to post daily). I’m going to rest. Maybe I’ll even watch some soothing Bob Ross videos and just zen out for the next three months. I think Mark Twain would approve. I have a confession, and I hate to admit it. I’m sad; maybe even a little depressed. I’m feeling so low I have no desire to even do the thing I love most . . . I can’t paint. I haven’t picked up a brush or even sketched since I got back from my trip to Greece.
Why am I so sad? At first I thought it might be the flu. My stomach was certainly upset and I had absolutely no appetite (except for dark chocolate!) But I was still feeling blue even after those flu-like symptoms disappeared. Then I thought that perhaps it was Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) because, after all, the days are getting shorter and darker and the rain here in the Northeast has been persistent. Summer, my favorite season, is definitely over, and I do not look forward to shorter days. My dear husband, in an attempt to cheer me up, bought me a light therapy lamp to literally shed some light on my miserable face. But just this morning I came upon another possible cause for my sadness: POST-VACATION BLUES. It’s a thing. I did some research. Apparently, post-travel depression happens when you return home from a memorable trip wishing you were still abroad. Its symptoms vary, but include digestive tract upsets. And feeling sick after vacation is more common than you might think. According to Dr. Ashima Oza, a primary care physician and instructor at Weill Cornell Medicine, feeling ill post-vacation affects up to 80% of returning travelers! So I am not alone in the universe. And I’ve learned a few things about how to overcome and cope with post-travel depression. First and foremost, I will relive the most memorable parts of my trip to Greece by painting some of the iconic scenes I photographed. I must have hundreds of reference photos to curate. And I’ve already begun planning my next big trip. God willing, next June I will be spending two glorious weeks in Italy. This time I will be prepared for the blues that will probably follow. |
AuthorTerri Thompson is a journalist-turned-visual artist, who is on an "art journey" and exploring how to tell her stories through her watercolor and acrylic paintings and photographs. Categories |