Painting Is Good For The Heart

Vincent Van Gogh said, “If you hear a voice within you say that you cannot paint, then by all means paint and it will be silenced.” Preach.

There was a time in my life where I told myself that I couldn’t paint because I was looking at technical painters and trying to fit my overly creative brain into that space. I’m not going to do a perfect still life that will be raved about for its photo-like qualities. It’s not in me and it never will be. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t paint and make some kick-butt things. You can too.

If you’ve followed this blog for a while then you know that every now and then I just go through dry spells where I have trouble coming up with ideas to share with you. It doesn’t mean that I’m not making stuff, it just means that either it’s not an easy step-by-step tutorial that you would benefit from or that I’m just making to ease my heart and not taking photos along the way. Right now I’m going through one of those times but I’m still creating on an almost daily basis.

Lately, as I struggle through this depression/anxiety, I’ve been painting… a lot. Probably too much judging by the stack of paintings behind me.

Painting has become my therapy. Yes, I am going to actual therapy too- don’t worry, but sitting down to paint with headphones blaring music has become my space to stop worrying and just make stuff. It’s my space to create and stop thinking about life for a while.

Which means that sometimes, you tell the truth about your day through the painting.

Believe it or not, the “Life Sucks Sometimes” painting is now becoming requested by people wanting one for themselves. Maybe because life is just hard sometimes.

And then there’s days where you paint a message of truth that your heart needs to hear.

Psalm 103:4 says, “Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” That verse might be my next tattoo. (Dad, ignore that sentence.)

With this style of painting, they all start the same way – black paint on a canvas or piece of wood. Then I draw on the flowers and birds in chalk.

This is the point where I tell you that if you can kinda color in the lines, you can paint because that’s all you do! You just fill in with paint. Once the paint is dry, you erase the chalk and clear coat it to protect it.

And maybe if you get the technique down, your husband will ask you to make a new painting to hang in the master bathroom. And maybe… just maybe… you’ll be as much as a blessing to your husband as I am to mine.

Be careful what you wish for – or ask your wife for.

If you want to learn how to paint in this style, I’ve made a step-by-step tutorial for you – How To Whimsical Style of Painting with Chalk.