Actually an Artist

Daily writing prompt

Which topics would you like to be more informed about?

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Oil Paints

I’m comfortable with acrylic, watercolor, gouache, but I’ve never tried using oil paints. I was going to take a class in it once upon a time but then I decided to get pregnant instead. Ha! I’m very thankful for my babies. But I did have a rosy view of motherhood where I’d still get to take that class. Boy was I in for a ride….

Psychology

I had a fun psychology class in high school. It wasn’t necessarily completely new information for me, but it was a great way to fill in the gaps and teach me just enough that I didn’t feel drawn to study more in college… I think psychology is fun, but I do not much care for the qualitative nature of research and concerns with empiricism and randomized trials and scientific study. Not to say that all isn’t important-I’m very thankful for the evidence and peer-reviewing happening in modern psychology. No more diagnosing me with ‘hysteria’ and an Oedipal Complex. Lookin’ at you, Freud. I just don’t care to study all those nitty-gritty details myself. There have been advancements since that class, however, and I’d enjoy taking another look at some of the old subjects as well as newer ones.

Spiritual Journey

Fr. Richard Rohr talks a lot about the ‘two halves of life’, and although I haven’t spent that much time with it, I am intrigued. Trusting the process has been a spiritual practice of mine for several years now, especially when I need to trust that I’ll learn what I need, when I need it. But there are all sorts of terminology out there that I haven’t really encountered. I understand the Enneagram, but I don’t use it. Maybe I should. I understand there are “levels of spiritual awareness”-Rohr refers to some people being “teal” or whatever. That seems a bit like the over describing I encountered in psychology. But I don’t know a lot about it all, and when my babies are bigger and don’t need me so much, I’ll probably take a harder look at some of these aspects of modern Christian Spirituality. Or I’ll be on to something else entirely-who knows!

Learning Theory

My main job these days is teaching music on the platform Outschool, and I really love it. I teach group and individual piano from a Dalcroze/audiation/music learning theory approach, and it serves me and my students well. But my son is now in elementary school, and I don’t see him in the afternoons as much so I find myself considering other paths. I would be interested in school teaching. BUT. There’s so much I don’t love about it. The political atmosphere features prominently. I love teaching, I love learning, I love working with children. Like I said before though, trust the process. So if I’m meant to be in more of a school teacher role, it will unfold that way.

Ultimately, I’d love to see how this small selection of interests comes together. I live for the intersections in life. Obviously these things have common roots as it is (psychology/spirituality/learning theory), and then how that might play out in painting. WELL! I am exploring that in watercolors. So I guess someday in oil, too. What connections do you see?