Recreated Mistake

This painting was birthed from a throw away canvas which had a hideous start of my first attempted acrylic paining. Two years later I went to a artist workshop and I observed Mel McCubbin’s free flowing style with oils so I unashamedly took the throw away canvas and tried to paint like Mel - rhythmically, carelessly, freely, and without inhibition. I didn’t really care how it turned out since I was using a throw a way canvas anyway. I found myself being brave, generous and uninhibited with the paint and technique.

This left me wondering about our strong tendency to reject our mistakes and not try again nor learn from them. It also made me think about the beauty of plurality . . . the scene wouldn’t be near as vibrant and life-filled if there was only one flower. Nor are any two flowers the same - this makes me think about how we are better when we choose to do life together and the beautiful fact that we’re all different but we have gifts to share with one another.

I believe we are so much stronger when we share our joys and sufferings, our accomplishments and failures, our beauty and mess. We often see mistakes as failures and do our best to run but when I turned toward the mistake-filled canvas and allowed it educate me to a new perspective, the old paint (background shape) gave direction to the new scene which makes the whole scene richer. Turning toward the mistake canvas strangely freed me to paint without fear because in my mind I couldn’t ruin it since it was already ruined. What changed everything though was my perspective. I decided to face the mistake, learn from it and re-create. A lesson that stays with me as I walk the path of life by His grace and mercy.

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23