Why Risk?

“You Know What To Do” 36” x 36” acrylic on canvas

August 29, 2020

Risk is everything. A lesson I have to relearn over and over. I was working on a series of paintings recently, two of then were coming along and the third just wasn’t working. It was nowhere. I knew I had to do something , but what? If you don’t know where you’re going, doing anything is a risk because it could be a wrong turn. I decided to use up my leftover paint and just put it all over the painting. It didn’t matter where or how, just do it. I painted without thinking, without worrying if it was “good” it didn’t matter, I couldn’t make it any worse. After a while I stood back and realized it looked OK. Maybe it was done! Sometimes the risk, that thing you know you want to do but scared to do, that’s just what is needed. You could fall on your face. Putting that big red mark on that blue painting. Or telling someone you love them for the first time. Painting your living room red. Sometimes you just know it will work. You just have to take a deep breath and jump in. It might work, it might not. But here’s the thing, even if it doesn’t work you are richer for trying it. Even if it’s not right, it tells me what to do next. I learn something. When I’m painting and I paint that big red mark it immediately wakes up that stuck painting in a way that makes my eyes widen. Sometimes I immediately know it doesn’t work and I wipe it off and all that’s left is a little smear of red which is exactly what the painting needed. It’s always a wow moment. Partly because of the result, or because of what I learned, or because I was surprised. Again!

What risk have you taken lately (big or small) in your life? Let me know through the contact page!