Guided Art Jamming

Yesterday my team went for a guided art jamming session. It was a good experience for me to observe my feelings and to stop when it is good enough according to my ability.

First, I learned to be less skeptical about arts. I always have the impression that I cannot do it. But the teacher demonstrated within few minutes that it is possible with a simple technique to create something. For yesterday’s acrylic painting, we need to start with the background first before filling up with the details. Then for details like tree, we need to be relax and inaccurate instead of trying to draw a straight line. The last part was that even if we make a lot of mistakes, we can still create something out of it.

Apparently the simple technique is not that simple. I could not repeat what he saw. But that’s where the session was useful. I managed to observe my feelings on how I started to be envious on my colleagues’ works as they draw a nicer one. But then I decided to just enjoy the process of playing with color and do what I can, even when it does not look satisfying.

The happy part was that when I decided to stop as it was good enough according to my ability. It is quite rare as I have the tendency to keep adding things until the last minute. I guess it was the courage to admit where my ability is. Also, to be more relaxed instead of thinking that something is not good enough and loss the enjoyment.

Now the challenge is how I can apply the same process and experience to other areas. Can I say to myself that there is no need to regret what has been done just like the paint was already put on the canvas. Also, to focus on the background and what the essential characteristics and then let go the perfection and enjoy the process.