The Key to Making Progress in your Paintings

As I sit down to write this, taking a moment to enjoy the sweet, cold, newly installed air conditioning from my old Florida home, I am FEELING the Summer slump. You know what I mean. That s-l-o-w feeling and lack of motivation that come with hot weather.

Time feels slower, the air is thicker, and I don’t want to do a thing! That includes painting.

Yes, even something that I love and have chosen for my career feels like a chore right now.

But… I know I’m supposed to keep practicing, playing with ideas, refreshing my skills on a regular basis.

So how do you stick to your creative practice when you just don’t feel like it? OR, how can you keep up your skills when there’s no time to paint?

Well my friend, it only takes a few minutes per day.

Minutes that you may already be spending ::ahem:: mindlessly. Scrolling, “liking”, absorbing content you never intended to (I’m guilty too!).

I encourage you instead to stay present. Take 10 minutes out to doodle.

Sketch.

Make a mess.

Make something ugly.

Try a new material.

Journal.

Close your eyes and let a new idea come to you.

The best part is, you don’t even have to pick up a brush!

I talk a lot more about it in my weekly painting lessons, like one one here:

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