FEARLESS We Paint: Guest Post By Lisa Wilson
Published on December 15, 2010
We were at a new playground and the rope sculpture loomed before us. It’s toned, taught presence was quite tantalizing.
“I dunno”, I replied in my best grammar, “you’re just supposed to play with it.”
A light appeared in his eyes and off he ran.
Suddenly, this maze of ropes was calling out to be explored. Secret places to be discovered. Throwing his legs across a higher rope and letting go as his torso swung back towards the ground, he allowed himself a new perspective on the world. Life was good. (Until it was time to leave the playground, of course.)
He eventually would have figured it out on his own, of course. (That it was on the playground probably helped.) But I also could’ve told him something completely different – thus forever influencing his impressions of this “thing”. I could have told him it was a sculpture just to look at or an observation tower system for resident squirrels.
By giving him permission to play instead of defining it for him, suddenly anything and everything was possible.
When Connie introduced me to Fearless Painting, I had come with the same inquisitive nature. What’s THAT for?
She didn’t say it was to discover my inner ID and Ego or explain that there were 7 ways to use it or that it was a way to produce something pretty to sell on Ebay. She just invited me and the other participants to play.
THIS is what the process of Fearless Painting is about for me:
Playing into Discovery.
I didn’t know how to play until I was given permission. And I didn’t know how much there was to discover until I started playing.
Being able to be fearless on the page – painting something even when it seems “wrong”, dancing with the gremlins instead of running away – translates into fascinating thoughts even when the paints are put away.
But as we take brave steps on the playground, crossing ropes or applying paint, we learn that sometimes fear is just there to play. If we attempt a smile and extend our hand, we may discover how much fun it is to hang upside-down or wear pink paint on our fingernails.
We may just discover that life itself can be fun….and be able to play so hard and deeply that we won’t feel the need to whine when it’s time to go.
Come join the Tribe of FEARLESS Painters!!
BIG is currently on sale HERE! Starts January 9, 2011–ring in the New Year BIG!
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