An A for Effort

So one of my New Years Resolutions that I thought sounded like a really really fun idea (rolling eyes at myself right about now) was to start painting. I have no idea why I put such a lofty goal on myself as "learn to be creative and pick up a time consuming new hobby" but at the time it sounded kinda neat.

Right.


So because I am a person who needs to checked EVERY SINGLE THING OFF MY TO DO LIST, I have been aware of this little personal goal for some time.  As the months tick by I mention to Nick that we need to go up in the attic and get my easel and we really should hunt down those paints... and he just looks at me.  And his look says "we??" 

Right.

I brought this on myself.  So I tried to talk all the girls in Nick's family into a painting day.  We could all attempt a Bob Ross painting, people suggested alcohol, it all seemed like a sealed deal!  I could check off my resolution!

Yes.... I am now defining my 'start painting' resolution as one lone painting session.  Shut up.  I am busy.

So I felt pretty good about it until I realized it was September.  And... well.... I just wasn't that confident they were all as committed to helping me realize my dream of completing all my New Years Resolutions as I would hope.  I mean, half of them live in South Carolina and have no real plan to enter the state of Kentucky before the end of the year.  I was on shaky ground.  So when Henry asked to paint the other day, I thought "YES!  This is it!  I will just paint WITH him, and it will count.   Like, I will really try, and I am sure I will make something amazing.  How hard can it be??"



Right.  So like art... it does sorta require some skill.  I mean, I only had the little 99 cent brushes and the washable crayola paint.  But still.... Bob Ross could have made MUCH happier little trees with these supplies. And see the white caps on the water and the shading on the mountains and the trees (Shut up, they are totally mountains)?  I was actually putting in some effort here.

Next I thought maybe I should try some still life.  So... you know, I looked around for something still.  I saw a pretty much empty fruit bowl. 

Exhibit A



So I painted that.



I mean.  Sure, it's blue.  But who paints a white bowl on white paper?  And like... I couldn't help it that the bowl was mostly empty.  YOU TAKE WHAT YOU GET IN STILL LIFE! (the shading on the bowl, the sticker on the fruit... ACTUALLY TRYING HERE PEOPLE)

I am not going to lie, I wasn't feeling so great about my painting abilities, so for my final piece of art I went safe.  I went for a crowd pleaser


It was a hit

Henry went with a more of an abstract style. I think his might be the best piece produced in the session


No doubt, he has skill.

So... there it is.  I painted.  So when I give myself a check mark when reviewing my resolutions NOBODY CAN QUESTION MY DEDICATION!