Do You Turn Off Technology?

'Wild at Heart'                  12x9            pastel              ©Karen Margulis
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This little post from the archives has important advice for us when choosing subject matter. I find myself drawn to the weedy places whenever I go! And that is just fine! Enjoy the post!

Paint what you love. Paint what you know. These are words I heard many times while at the 1st Annual Plein Air convention. I love this advice. While there is a time to stretch yourself and learn new subject matter and techniques, it is also important to reflect and understand what subjects really speak to you. It is true that you will often do your best work when you are painting things that speak to you. You just need to figure out what these things are.

When I am outside looking for something to paint or photograph, I find myself looking down more than I look up at the 'Big View'. I love the big view...I love wide open spaces. But I find I am always drawn to the things on the ground. It is the wildflowers that speak loudly to me. I have discovered that I enjoy painting the more intimate details of the landscape. I don't fight it. I make sure that I make time to paint what I love. At the convention I painted the Big View but I also found some wildflowers that called out to be painted! Read on for a bit of advice from Clyde Aspevig.

Do you know what subjects speak loudly to you? Have you found your truth? I would like to leave you with this piece of advice given to us by Clyde Aspevig at the Plein Air Convention. Clyde suggested that we turn off technology every once in awhile and find a way to have a moment of complete isolation. "You have to start thinking and the answers will come".

UPDATE: When I was on my Alaska cruise last summer  we had phone service in some places but on our stops in Canada. I was forced to be without technology and it truly allowed us to be in the moment and soak in the scenery. We took time to hike and to slow down and really observe. I was drawn to this abandoned field filled with late summer flowers. I had to paint them! Subscribe to Painting My World by Karen Margulis by Email