This week’s creative prompt: Stop trying. Start noticing.

Part 1: I have a confession to make.

We all luvvvvv confessions, right? (Rubbing hands together in anticipation of the juicy truth oozing–I MEAN OOZING like a brand new tube of toothpaste oozing)

Well, sit back ’cause I have a story to tell.

Part 2: The Story

Here’s the deal: I thought the landscape up here was going to change my art. That I’d be painting water and mountains and trees and wildflowers and– (That’s the ego voice in my head talking)

But Muse laughed and laughed and said Sure, have at it, Babe.

Because she’s a cheeky B-

And then she laughed some more when I grew frustrated with the shit with what I was painting. Sky. Land in the distance. Water. Foreground.

Muse whacked me upside the head. Ho-hum boring. I’ll be back when you come to your senses.

And then I thought, well, I’LL SHOW HER!

Maybe I can spice it up with watercolor! I spent a few hours watching WC videos on youtube and thought hey, I can do this. Easy -peasy. Just like people who don’t know squat about art thinking they can pull off an abstract. Or their kid can. Uh-huh…

So after a frustrating day painting shit watercolor, after a day where I was ready to throw out the paintbrushes and never EVER paint again, I sat down on Mama’s red leather comfy chair, stretched my legs out on the ottoman and stared out the window.

At clouds. Not the landscape. It was evening, probably 9, 9:30ish shortly after the Solstice. The light was poking between the gray and blue layers of clouds and Muse was cackling on my shoulder singing Sweet baby Jesus AMEN!

And I found my voice on the iPad.

Part 3: Added bonus

The AHA! Moment with the iPad–which will translate nicely someday with paint and canvas–is now coming out in the photos that I take.

Part 4: Your Turn

Turns out, True North wasn’t “out there” in the mountains or Youtube tutorials. It was in that moment I give up trying to make “good art” and just notice—like clouds at 9:17 p.m. while flopped in a red chair, defeated and muttering at my Muse.

This week’s prompt:
Stop trying. Start noticing.
What pulls your eye when you’re not looking for inspiration?
Follow that. Make something from it.

Now go find your North—and tell me where it leads you.

And let me know in the comments below.

‘Til next week-