Life is short, as they say. I don’t know about you but these last few years I have been while aware that time is a fleeting thing. Part of one of the reasons I started painting and pursuing a career in art a few years ago was to feel like I was living my life to the fullest. Believe it or not growing up and my early 20′s I was not confident and I did not take advantage of opportunities afforded me. I led a mediocre existence. After a few years into my marriage my husband and I started taking advantage of flight benefits from his job in the airline industry. The more we traveled the more we wanted to travel. So many of our trips became about spontaneous getaways. Say a weekend trip to Madrid. Or a long weekend in Mexico City. Many times it was us looking at a map and picking a place and planning a getaway a few days in advance. There is something that allows me to fill with adrenaline and excitement like no other than when traveling spontaneously.

One of my most spontaneous things I ever did as far as travel was to go to Barcelona for 48 hours by myself. I did not have a hotel reservation. The only Spanish I know is, “Donde esta la bibioloteca” from high school Spanish class. But I did know that I dreamed of seeing the Sagrada Familia, smelling the Mediterranean ocean and getting lost in a city where I don’t know a single person. Maybe that is scary for some. And yes, I did get a bit scared at first but then I realized…how many times in life do you get a chance like this?? And if you don’t do it now, you never will. Everything worked out smoothly in Barcelona. I didn’t have anything remotely scary happen to me, I found a beautiful hotel room and I saw the Sagrada Familia. The most amazing part was coming back on the plane (since I fly free only by traveling standby) there was only 1 seat left. And the seat was mine. No one else was vying for that seat-which is a rarity. Anyone who has traveled standby or works for the airlines knows this. It only confirmed to me that the trip and seat home was meant to be.

Me after arriving in Barcelona. A bit jet lagged but ready to explore!

The beautiful and amazing La Sagrada Familia.

Creating art is the same way for me. I don’t plan out many of my artworks in advance. In fact most of my paintings happen very quickly. I think it’s because when I do spend a lot of time planning out a piece I end up over-thinking it. Every artist has a different approach, method and way they execute their artwork. Maybe I’m impatient, and I certainly am not a perfectionist in anything I do in life-especially with my art. What happens in most cases is I come across an image or two that I see and envision it as a painting. So instead of thinking too much about it, I just paint it. I don’t think about it, I just turn up the tunes and do it. I think watercolors are great for people who have this approach to painting. You have to work quickly with watercolors, and so that allows you to make quick decisions. Sometimes I fail at it, and sometimes I succeed. But the important thing is that I always keep painting. Never let a bad piece of art slow you down. Keep moving forward and keep striving to be a bit more spontaneous with your art. It will allow you to leave your comfort zone, and sometimes that will allow you to create something unexpected and wonderful.

So no matter what your talent, ambition or goals in life are go ahead and go for them. Be more spontaneous.

Here are some new artworks that I’ve created, and all of them were painted using my approach of painting spontaneously!

Untitled, watercolor and pen. 11 x 15 on watercolor paper. Original sold, prints available.

Yellow & Turquoise, watercolor and ink illustration.

Bird of Paradise, watercolor and pen illustration.