A Little Reckless
by Raette Meredith

Recently my husband and I went on a weekend trip. The kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa overnight, and for the first time in over a decade my husband and I were alone. We started talking about how strange it felt to not worry about the kids as we realized that we could really do whatever we wanted.

Once I allowed myself to let go of the heaviness of responsibility I could feel my heart begin to soar. I started to feel freedom that I had abandoned long ago. The old me began to return and I was struck with a sudden discovery. I realized how much fear I took on starting the day I found out I was pregnant. Suddenly I had someone else who depended on my good judgement for survival. Gradually over ten years I transformed from semi-reckless and completely fearless to extremely cautious and somewhat stressed out.

As artists we sometimes fall into the same pattern as we grow from student painter to advanced professional artist. We start as open-minded and fearless experimenters to fine-tuned "painting" machines. Afraid to veer too far from our reputations as a painter of "whatever" we tend to find ourselves in a comfortable rut. Our artwork can easily become stale and uninspired.

The challenge is figuring out how to knock our artistic selves out of the rut and allow the freedom to break through. There are countless YouTube videos and how-to tutorials online, college textbooks and artist biographies at the local library. At little to no cost inspiration is literally at our fingertips.

Just as youthful freedom washed over me on our weekend excursion, creative freedoms can return if we acknowledge the fears that block them. Get a little reckless and have some fun again.

Happy Painting!

-- Raette
www.artbyraette.com