Mindfulness and the Painting the Big Open Sky

When I started Mindfulness Training I can see when I look back that I was very fixated on things; all kinds of things. I fixated on objects, people, animals, trees, plants and when I painted I painted these objects in detail.

I found it interesting to look back and see how what I choose to paint now is the Big Wide Open Sky.

I can't get enough of the blues and clouds and the changing nature of it all. I love to sit on the beach with my paints and gaze up and outwards across the beach to the land across the Moray Firth, the Black Isle. And the joy of trying to mix colours that match the intensity of the light on the cliffs of the land, the light on the edges of fluffy clouds, the intensity of the deep blues and greys of a moody sky day in Nairn. All with the backdrop of the sound of waves crashing, rolling in gently, lapping. Sound soft birds, gulls and geese.

I feel liberated from painting objects and things and free to paint the wind catching the clouds, moving them along. Free to paint the changing colours of the skies and water, changing clouds on the land and beach.

I don't paint people, they are too hard to catch, too defined for me now. Im enjoying the freedom to be a bit wild and impressionistic. This is all a perfect metaphor for what has changed in my mind through Mindfulness Training and practice. I see more clearly, without needing to be too attached to it all...I only really paint when I have the time and everyone in my life is OK...then I love it, mug of coffee in hand, paint brush in the other.

I have just finished my first exhibition at Nairn Community Centre which was on during April and May. 5 paintings sold and lots of art cards..now I've moved some paintings to James's Cafe in Nairn and some to Wendy's House cafe on Nairn High Street...and back to painting outdoors outside James's and enjoying the banter as I paint..tough life!