I drove from Colorado Springs to Taos, New Mexico last week and was in awe of the colors of the landscape. As I drove through the San Luis Valley the willows along the creek beds were a stunning burnt orange with a touch of magenta. The trees told the story of their ancestry by displaying their personal colors on their branches. . They were either a cool gray or a deep rich butterscotch that glowed against the cerulean sky.
The colors of the fields were soft with muted sage greens, grasses that looked like melted butter, quiet grays that went from cool to a contagious warm. Even the deep sienna’s were dulled by the winter snow.
The winter colors….luscious sophisticated neutrals. Not a single bright color disturbed the eye. The mystery of the winter landscape is one of quiet thoughts.
This makes one realize the importance of those marvelous “quiet colors” in our paintings. They are the colors that hold a painting together and allow the entertaining colors to sing in a loud majestic voice.
As the colors of the landscape move from winter into spring I can’t help but think about the goals and dreams we had at the first of the yea. It is now that we take these dreams and make them go from a possibility to a reality.
I have done a lot of planning this winter and can’t wait to put my plans into action. Plans are different than dreams or wishes….having a plan means one must take action.
Taking action is where the rub comes in….action means I must get out of dreaming and “do”…yes “do” what I planned. Taking action is the hard part….dreaming is easy.
I’ve got my goals, my intentions, my monthly plan, yearly plan, number of paintings needed to be completed to reach my financial goal……..oh dear…..it is now time to put down the pencil and get to work.
This is usually where the problem arrives in my mind…..It is called OVERWHELM ! Where to begin…what to do first….the big “how” comes into play. If I have a great idea then the “how to accomplish that idea” raises it’s ugly head and down goes the dream.
This year I will let the “how” rest while I go forward and trust the “how” will arrive in due course of time.
What are your dreams that need to be placed on the action train…..go girl!!!