A New Year and the 3Ws
Better Than A Bowl (in progress 2)
Better Than A Bowl (in progress 2)
Hi!
"Better Than A Bowl" is coming along nicely.
I managed to give it some attention after the Christmas hustle-bustle
calmed down a bit.
There is now some rich color and texture in the background and cloth,
and the chickadee is blocked in.
Still miles to go, so I'm going to change gears now and share a little
jewel of wisdom with you.
I truly hope you are enjoying this sweet spot between holidays. I've
always thought of it as a time of quiet reflection and renewal.
I confess that I did not always use that time wisely...until,...well,..
I'll get to that.
If you can relate to the following, then you'll understand the value
this last week of December holds for people who like to plan ahead.
You see, although I enjoy the quiet between Christmas and New Years, I
sometimes get a little blue. When that happens, my natural tendency is
to recall all the things that did not go as I'd hoped...
..a painting that flopped, a strained relationship with another artist,
a gallery rejection email (well, several actually), a socially awkward
moment in a very important interview.
That last one could haunt me still..if I let it.
And that's just the professional artist component of my life. That
scrapheap of negative emotion also includes struggles within my
personal/physical/spiritual life...and yes, they're all connected.
As you might guess, that negative pattern can send a person into a
vortex of professional despair and self-punishment if not reigned in.
It wastes precious time and energy that could be invested more usefully
and joyfully.
It's why I hate New Years resolutions. I used to break them in less
time than it took to write them, and then get swallowed up in yet
another wave of self-pity.
So instead, I turn to God for wisdom, and seek out useful tools.
Enter the 3Ws.
The 3Ws reflection I've used for the last few years is modeled after an
extraordinary oil painter from New Zealand; Andrew Tischler.
Here's how that works in 3 very easy and eye-opening steps, 'case
you're curious. Each is followed with a small sample from my own 3W
reflection.
1
Divide a piece of paper into three columns. Label the first column,
"What went well?" and list everything you can think of that had some
sort of happy outcome.
Sample: "What Went Well?"
I finally got gallery representation, created over 100 works of art,
sold 37 paintings (and counting), received an invitation for a solo
show, and was featured in an interview Podcast with the Professional
Artist Association.
2
Label the second column. "What Went Wrong?" and jot down things that
didn't go so well, anything from small setbacks to total disasters.
Sample: "What Went Wrong?"
I was physically unable to do any large commercial mural projects
(=lost income opportunity).
I said something careless that cost me the respect and friendship of a
fellow artist (just being real here).
I froze up for a hot moment during the podcast because I didn't know
the answer to a question any business owner should know.
I made a terrible mess of a painting during a public challenge.
3
Label the last column, "What If?" This is where you get to turn those
pesky soul-crushing items from column 2 into opportunities to grow.
Sample: "What If?"
What if I shift my focus from painting murals to teaching younger
artists how to start their own mural painting business? Or teach
artists how to craft their unique story withOUT AI?
What if I reach out to my artist friend and tell her how much I value
her friendship. Even if she doesn't forgive me, I will have done what I
could to restore our friendship.
What if the next time I am asked an uncomfortable question, I answer
simply that I am not prepared to answer that at this time.
What if I do the experimentation before the publicized demonstration
and stick to what I know works during.
So you see how this works? I stop kicking myself backward and ask my
'what if' questions to help me move forward.
And every- single- time, I find two things; More went right than went
wrong, and most of what went wrong is fixable.
Looking forward...
I hope you found this end of year exercise useful. By the time I write
again, it will be Day 4 of the Strada Easel Challenge. Big plans for
that! I'll be posting my planning calendar on Instagram and Facebook
this Monday.
Merry Christmas, and may the coming year be filled with birdsong!
Jan
P.S. If you have ever thought of participating in a painting challenge,
read my blog post titled:
"Painting Challenges: What's in it for the artist?"
P.P.S There's still time to enter the January 2025 Strada Easel
Challenge. Go HERE for the information.
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