Today was Mardi Gras. I didn’t participate in any festivities, but the celebration was on my mind. As I was editing my upcoming novel, Lola Is Never Drinking Again, I came across a little New Orleans episode, and it made me happy. I let my imagination run with that, and sat down to paint something inspired by the story – a woman on a New Orleans balcony. I just let myself have fun with this painting, let myself improvise, which actually isn’t always enjoyable because I tend to do it poorly. I usually need to see things in order to paint them. But today the improvisation worked, and I actually had more fun painting this little watercolor than I remember having recently.
Lately I haven’t felt as motivated to do watercolors as in the past, but today I fully embraced the experience. And it reminded me that I do occasionally need to give myself a little nudge to get those creative juices flowing. I need to get back to my good habit of getting myself to sit down to paint a watercolor every day, no exceptions, no excuses. It’s odd but true, if you make yourself sit down and do it consistently, you actually do end up having fun.
