Jill Rae Finally Art

It's interesting watching people do art in my alcohol ink classes.
Their seems to be certain "types" that keep reoccurring. I see myself in all of them.

You have the creative type who jumps in with childlike abandonment. They are there for the fun and exploration. They're going to enjoy this because they are free enough to take delight in the process and generally end up with something they like.

Then there's the more cautious but totally willing type. They are waiting patiently for instructions and ready to follow the rules. They seem to have more expectations about how their work should turn out. Here is were you have the perfectionists.

Maybe as a sub group of those above are the ones who want their work to look just like the example. (I can't repaint the same painting twice- colors change, moods change. So it's hard to help someone achieve the same painting.) Not to mention, in also every class there's usually at least one person , often several, who do a much better painting than my example. So I encourage people to do their own thing.

Then there's the one who pulls at my heart string. The person who comes in saying I can't paint.... I can't draw a straight line. I just want to point out, "What's so interesting about a straight line?" These are the quiet ones, who ask for nothing. You have to be on the lookout for these people because they certainly aren't going to bring attention to themselves. These are the people who can make the night wonderful if you can just infuse them with just a pinch of confidence.

 I'm still learning how to help this last category. I believe everyone is born to create in one way or another. We all have our gifts. Art is a wonderful way to express oneself and if I could just help one person capture a bit of the joy, I would be thrilled.

I guess my job is to learn how to help all of the categories. And to remember that most people are their own mix of all of these. The fun of the evening is in the process; getting together with friends, enjoying each other's company and reveling in each other's uniqueness and our own.

I had a great time last night with these wonderful women. These ladies have all been friends since grade school. What a beautiful group.