Being Mentored

This morning I went for my first I-am-paying-good-money-for-this-so-it-better-be-helpful-mentoring session! I am happy to say I felt it was very helpful. I have never had a mentor before so we spent some time discussing what I expected and what she felt she could help me with. The bottom line can be summed up in this way. Neither of us expect her to tell me what to do.

One thing I expect her to do is to offer suggestions as to the ways I might proceed with a painting if something about it is bothering me. In fact, there was one I brought for her to see where she was very helpful. I told her that basically, I quite liked it, but there was something about it that bothered me and I couldn’t decide what it was. She said, "Well, show me the place where you feel there is something wrong…" Now, I had never asked myself where it was wrong and once I could put my finger on the spot–literally, actually– I can now see what needs to be done. She also said that she was impressed by the fact that I had limited my color palette myself because, before she saw my paintings, she was intending to suggest that. Apparently there are some artists who use every color there is because they can! This is not necessarily bad, of course.

She had brought some art books along with her and there was one man {whose name I can’t remember because I am too tired to get up and check my notes} who did some really interesting stuff with black ink and white paper and with ink washes. I have previously done a lot of ink pictures but never thought of using an ink wash for the greys. She also pointed out to me that in two of the pictures I brought with me, I was using geometric shapes in the background and that quite surprised me since I wasn’t doing it deliberately. She wondered what would happen if I did do this deliberately. Something to think about…

{Short pause here while Fred fed me! I am cranky when I don’t eat regularly and I was so tired, I didn’t get lunch.}

Towards the end of the session we went to one of the local studios and looked at the exhibit there–black and white paintings. The universe is suggesting black and white to me, obviously! I came home and slept for two hours.

I will have the second session in about two weeks. I need some time to assimilate all that came up and all the ideas I have.

Is the life I’m living the life that wants to live in me?

Parker Palmer

"I yam what I yam."

Popeye