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Art Quotes, Discipline and drawing, Pastels by Mary Gentle Compassion, Patience and drawing, Patience Quotes, timeout for Art: Discipline and Patience, Timeout for Art: YOU CAN DO THIS
Detail: Gentle Compassion – http://oilpastelsbymary.com/
I felt my energy revive, and said to myself, In spite of everything I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing. From that moment everything has seemed transformed for me. (Vincent Van Gogh to Theo)
The TIMEOUT FOR ART posts started in May, and Mary of Pastels by Mary climbed aboard and pledged to devote thirty minutes to drawing each week. (See Thursdays will be for Drawings) Here’s what she said back in May, “…Oh boy – I’m not sure what I got myself into, but I’ve joined in with Z of Playamart to draw for 30 minutes each Thursday. I haven’t been drawing lately and decided it’s a good way to polish my drawing skills and discipline myself to pay attention and concentrate on my subjects – drawing always had a way of doing that for me. …”
What impressed me with Mary’s weekly Timeout for Art posts was that she disciplined herself to STOP after half an hour of drawing, and she set aside the work until the next week.
Having the discipline to stop a work of art when it’s going well is like taking one bite of pizza and saying, ‘That’s enough!’ Having the discipline to resume a week later is like getting motivated to run after eating an entire pizza!
Week after week, Mary devoted half an hour (or slightly more) on her pencil study of a retired racehorse named Pacific Reach. During Week 8, Mary shared the sad news that Pacific Reach had died. How sobering is that? See: Gentle Compassion #7.
The following images show the evolution of Mary’s drawing, “Gentle Compassion.” Continue reading
