learning to paint

 What would you do if you had more free time? If you could learn something new, or take up a hobby you used to enjoy? What would you attempt for the first time, if you knew no one would see it? As if we were at home alone, and had nothing else to do with our free time? 

 Oh wait, we are. We are home alone, we have all that time we used to spend going places, running errands, being social, getting together, shopping, traveling. We have free time. Maybe not our workdays, a lot of us are working at home, but we still have our evenings. And what are we doing with this new found time? 

 I have always wished I could draw. Or paint. Or water color. Something artistic. I still love photography, and it's sort of satisfying in the same way, creating something. But when my mom's neighbors gave her a paint-by-number kit, a pretty porch scene with an adirondack chair and some sunflowers, I decided to get myself a painting kit and work along side with her.  Luckily my mom and I decided to be in our own little "pod" back in early March, so we have been able to spend time with each other.

  And I'm loving it! Painting is so different than anything I've tried before. And yes, it's paint-by-number, but I feel like I am learning a lot about how light and shadow works, about adding a highlight or outline to an object, and what that adds to the overall painting. Plus it's a great escape from watching the news. 

  So try something you've never done. Then try something else. I may have mentioned this before, but there are really no rules!