Beth, I love this so much — especially your reminder that mastery isn’t the destination, and that there is such joy and liberation in staying curious and unfinished. Thank you for sharing your process, your sky, and your beginner’s heart.
I love the way you put it: "...that mastery isn’t the destination, and that there is such joy and liberation in staying curious and unfinished." I couldn't have said it better!
I so appreciate your support and readership. I really enjoy the process of art, especially from a beginner's perspective.
What a wonderful essay. I'm not sure any artist ever masters her art. Is that even possible?
I love your beginner's mind attitude, though you are far from being a beginner in my book. Even if you were, that'd be fine, though. Why do we always put pressure on ourselves to advance quickly anyway?
I love the happy accident in the cloud, too. I wonder how you know when to stop tweaking and just let something be.
Thank you for giving us permission to be wherever we are in our artistic endeavors. We can try, mess up, start over, learn, and above all else, enjoy the process.
I look forward to seeing where this painting takes you - and us.
Thank you so much for your support and kind words. Yes, why do we as a culture pressure ourselves so much to gain expertise? You raise an important point about our desires to gain all the skills needed in any endeavor quickly.
I'm glad you also love the happy accident in the cloud.😀 Your question about how to know whether one should stop working a part of the painting is a good one. It's a question I have asked many artists when I first started oil painting. I never knew, in fact, when a painting was finished. It's kind of like writing -- with more and more experience, you get a sense of when an essay or book is finished. It's the same with art.
Thanks again for your meaningful comment. Let's write on/paint on!
Oohh, I love the sky! Cloud are one of my favorite things to watch; I like the grey edges to your clouds, Beth. Your sky's clouds drifting over maybe mountain canyons; a nice feeling. I'm hesitant to try classes as I would feel am atl the finger painting level!
Thank you so kindly, Ron, for your high compliment. I really appreciate it. Yes, I stuck with gray, blue, and white for the sky. I love clouds, as well, and I love painting them.
If you would like to try art classes, go for it. You would be surprised at how good you might get at painting. Seriously.
By the way, it's pretty common for me to use my fingers instead of paintbrushes when oil painting. So I literally finger paint!
Absolutely yes! In fact, a few of my readers were inspired to take art classes. Turns out, they not only love art, but they are creating quality works!
Beth, your reflection on embracing being a beginner is so inspiring. I appreciate how you approach art with an open mind and heart, acknowledging your needs for creativity and self-expression. Your willingness to take risks and learn from missteps is a valuable reminder that growth and connection come from being honest about our needs and limitations.
When we allow ourselves to be beginners, we open up space for curiosity and exploration. What needs are you meeting through your art practice? 🙏💗
Thank you so much for your comment. Yes, I am happy to embrace being a beginner; it is at once filled with missteps and successes, and it's lot's of fun.
My art practice meet my innermost needs -- to get serenity and peace and mindfulness through painting. Art puts me in a meditative state and adds more joy to my life.
This is a wonderful article Beth, it really made me think about the Zen Buddhist concept of beginner’s mind, that way of showing up with openness and curiosity, where every brushstroke feels like an invitation to discover something new. That cloud detail is a wonderful example - for me it's made the dark and light cloud almost look like it's rolling in as a wave would do at the beach.
I love how you describe the mistakes and happy accidents, because they’re exactly what keep the process alive and joyful. It’s such a reminder that being a beginner isn’t something to move past, but a way of staying playful and free, even after years of practice. This applies so much with my photography too - there are times when I've made a photograph and reviewed it while I'm out thinking I'll be deleting that one it's the 'wrong' viewpoint, over/underexposed or poorly framed or even blurring, only to see it when I get home in a different light and find it's actually a more unique way of presenting a scene. I learn from these happy accidents and experiments, and they make the process a continual learning one for me too!
Thank you for your insightful comment; I so appreciate it. Yes, the beginner's mind is a concept I strongly believe in, and you said it so well "...where every brushstrokes feels like an invitation to discover something new." The happy accidents that occur always surprise me, which is a thrilling experience.
As you are an artist too -- photography is a true art, as you know -- I know you can relate. I find it fascinating how you might not be fond of a photograph at first, but later, at home, you get to view it differently and see what you didn't originally see. Your photographs are incredibly amazing, and your sharing them with readers is a true gift. I always look forward to your posts!
Keep enjoying these happy accidents and creating your art. It's true: we are always learning with our craft!
Beth, as far as I'm concerned, you're the best darn beginner I've seen. Please don't sell yourself short. You are very good. Your sky looks lovely. If I would have painted the sky, I would have made it solid blue, with no clouds. Of course, it wouldn't have any depth, but . . .
Thank you for the compliment; I so appreciate it. Yes, I am happy with the sky.
I bet you would do better with art than you'd think. I really believe that everyone has artistry within them -- whether it be writing, visual arts, performance arts, and so on. I was fortunate enough to have some training and spend lots of time practicing.
I just enjoy the beginner's mentality of trying something new and giving myself permission to fail or succeed at it.
I love your ‘happy accident’ in the cloud. It’s lovely. And even better is feeling your joy with it. I think ‘beginner’s mind’ is the best way to create. It keeps the adventure open and the possibilities endless. I look forward to seeing more of your paintings and progress and joy.
I'm so glad you are enjoying my happy accident. You are an amazing artist, so I also welcome your perspective as an artist. Yes, art "keeps the adventure open and the possibilities endless," as you say so well.
I always look forward to your posts because I get to see your art, which is exquisite.
Beth you never fail to offer me insight and inspiration. I so admire how you're able to remain steadfast in your determination to keep trying with your lovely paintings, to try different approaches and to keep learning from your missteps--that takes great strength and a resolve that can only lead to bold results. In contrast, I think how many times I've gotten so frustrated that I've just given up--but with time and patience, there is a silver li
ning. I just love your cloud painting and I love that you provoke me to keep trying new things and stay fervent--stay connected to what gives you power.
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging comments. I think that giving up for awhile can also be a blessing because it gives us time to reflect and maybe try again, even if it is a significant amount of time later. Take my plein air experience, for example. I gave up on it for 15-plus years. Then I watched a webinar from a plein air expert and was encouraged by her and figured I'd give it another try.
Frustration is part of the learning that takes place. I remember watching my students get frustrated and then suddenly they understood what was expected of them. I can't even count the number of times art has frustrated me, too. I used to have a bad habit of throwing away canvases, much to Hans' insistence on me reusing them. Truth is, at the time, I couldn't bear to look at them.
The beauty of being a beginner to embrace our hurdles as learning curves — you make art so fun. I feel nourished by all of your pieces in words and in paint.
Great post. I have a plan to paint. I feel encouraged to be a beginner.
Oooh, Prajna, you are going to paint? I LOVE this! You can find the medium that you like best, and then go for it! I am excited for you. Painting is a joy.
Beth~ You inspire me! Your blog reminds me of what I tell my clients a lot, "We are all a work in progress." Your painting is coming along beautifully. You did an excellent job with your blend of the muted colors. It gives it a nice, soft look which is calming. Great work, my friend!
Hi Pam, thank you. You also inspire me with your paintings and your incredible work ethic in general. You are so right by saying, "We are all a work in progress." So true and insightful.
I appreciate your kind words regarding my draft of this landscape. Xo
This essay read like a myth. Written in the language of metaphor, you've revealed how learning to paint is like learning to become a human being. Curiosity; learning from mistakes; passion for beauty's expression; risk; experiment; making joy as you go . . . That's how I read it, anyway. So much of what informs your art, can also inform a life. Personally and in art, I want to grow, says everything in this piece.
And I love how you weave in the idea of "beginner's mind." I learned about that as a Buddhist concept years ago and it still serves. You point out how we are all beginners and yet sometimes, a white cloud will fold perfectly into the blue of sky, and surprise us.
I felt drawn to this canvas when you first began working on it -- and now, watching it become, it is, as one reader says, "breathtaking."
Beth, every week, I look forward to your essays and art. I learn from you. I'm inspired by you and I am delighted with our connection. Thank you for an excellent, thought-provoking and uplifting story/mythology of how we paint our life. Your forever friend and fan, stephanie XO
I so appreciate your high compliment. You are so right about likening painting to becoming a human being. It is true. I think the act of creation is such an important human act; it helps maintain and restore our humanity. Creation is one essence of being human in my opinion.
This is why I so strongly believe in the humanities. Whether it's visual art, writing, drama, ballet, and so on, the humanities helps us think about what it means to be human.
I am so bowled over by the fact that you look forward to my art and essays! I am also inspired by you, your stories, and your eloquent, poignant writing, your generosity with sharing your life with us. I am so glad we have found each other.
Beth, thank you so much for sharing these beautiful reflections. I’m so impressed by how lovingly you approach your 'beginner' within … not as a failure, but as a source of freedom and joy. You remind me that ‘happy accidents’ are often our psyche’s way of guiding us toward deeper Truth.
The beginner’s stance isn't about lack, but about possibility. It’s the attitude of the Higher Self … inviting us to stay curious, humble and ever receptive to transformation. Each brushstroke, whether it works or not, becoming part of the dialogue between mind, body, spirit and soul..
Your beautiful skies, your patience with the mountains … all feel like part of a gentle unfolding. Thank you again for showing me how art can become a path of growth, not mastery; a way of living, loving ... rather than simply arriving.
Wow! What a blessing it is to be a beginner ... where each misstep becomes part of the dance of becoming. 🙏💖🎨
Wow, thank you for such a beautiful comment. I have found through the years that self-love and self-care help us better appreciate our beginner within. I love your interpretation of happy accidents -- perhaps that is, indeed, the psyche's way of helping us discover truth.
You have offered such wonderful insight about beginnership becoming the "Higher Self." Thank you for this. I think in this life, seeking growth is so much more important than mastery. And I love how you describe being a beginner: "...where each misstep becomes part of the dance of becoming." Beautifully written.
99% of beginner writers stay stuck making the same 5 mistakes.
I made all of them. Wasted months. Finally figured it out.
Here's what nobody tells you:
https://open.substack.com/pub/theinnerself46/p/5-mistakes-that-keep-99-of-beginner?r=2kbdxu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you for your perspective, Anthony.
Beth, I love this so much — especially your reminder that mastery isn’t the destination, and that there is such joy and liberation in staying curious and unfinished. Thank you for sharing your process, your sky, and your beginner’s heart.
Hi Marie,
I love the way you put it: "...that mastery isn’t the destination, and that there is such joy and liberation in staying curious and unfinished." I couldn't have said it better!
I so appreciate your support and readership. I really enjoy the process of art, especially from a beginner's perspective.
Hi Beth,
What a wonderful essay. I'm not sure any artist ever masters her art. Is that even possible?
I love your beginner's mind attitude, though you are far from being a beginner in my book. Even if you were, that'd be fine, though. Why do we always put pressure on ourselves to advance quickly anyway?
I love the happy accident in the cloud, too. I wonder how you know when to stop tweaking and just let something be.
Thank you for giving us permission to be wherever we are in our artistic endeavors. We can try, mess up, start over, learn, and above all else, enjoy the process.
I look forward to seeing where this painting takes you - and us.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for your support and kind words. Yes, why do we as a culture pressure ourselves so much to gain expertise? You raise an important point about our desires to gain all the skills needed in any endeavor quickly.
I'm glad you also love the happy accident in the cloud.😀 Your question about how to know whether one should stop working a part of the painting is a good one. It's a question I have asked many artists when I first started oil painting. I never knew, in fact, when a painting was finished. It's kind of like writing -- with more and more experience, you get a sense of when an essay or book is finished. It's the same with art.
Thanks again for your meaningful comment. Let's write on/paint on!
Oohh, I love the sky! Cloud are one of my favorite things to watch; I like the grey edges to your clouds, Beth. Your sky's clouds drifting over maybe mountain canyons; a nice feeling. I'm hesitant to try classes as I would feel am atl the finger painting level!
Thank you so kindly, Ron, for your high compliment. I really appreciate it. Yes, I stuck with gray, blue, and white for the sky. I love clouds, as well, and I love painting them.
If you would like to try art classes, go for it. You would be surprised at how good you might get at painting. Seriously.
By the way, it's pretty common for me to use my fingers instead of paintbrushes when oil painting. So I literally finger paint!
So there's hope!
Absolutely yes! In fact, a few of my readers were inspired to take art classes. Turns out, they not only love art, but they are creating quality works!
Beth, your reflection on embracing being a beginner is so inspiring. I appreciate how you approach art with an open mind and heart, acknowledging your needs for creativity and self-expression. Your willingness to take risks and learn from missteps is a valuable reminder that growth and connection come from being honest about our needs and limitations.
When we allow ourselves to be beginners, we open up space for curiosity and exploration. What needs are you meeting through your art practice? 🙏💗
Hi there,
Thank you so much for your comment. Yes, I am happy to embrace being a beginner; it is at once filled with missteps and successes, and it's lot's of fun.
My art practice meet my innermost needs -- to get serenity and peace and mindfulness through painting. Art puts me in a meditative state and adds more joy to my life.
This is a wonderful article Beth, it really made me think about the Zen Buddhist concept of beginner’s mind, that way of showing up with openness and curiosity, where every brushstroke feels like an invitation to discover something new. That cloud detail is a wonderful example - for me it's made the dark and light cloud almost look like it's rolling in as a wave would do at the beach.
I love how you describe the mistakes and happy accidents, because they’re exactly what keep the process alive and joyful. It’s such a reminder that being a beginner isn’t something to move past, but a way of staying playful and free, even after years of practice. This applies so much with my photography too - there are times when I've made a photograph and reviewed it while I'm out thinking I'll be deleting that one it's the 'wrong' viewpoint, over/underexposed or poorly framed or even blurring, only to see it when I get home in a different light and find it's actually a more unique way of presenting a scene. I learn from these happy accidents and experiments, and they make the process a continual learning one for me too!
Hi Lin,
Thank you for your insightful comment; I so appreciate it. Yes, the beginner's mind is a concept I strongly believe in, and you said it so well "...where every brushstrokes feels like an invitation to discover something new." The happy accidents that occur always surprise me, which is a thrilling experience.
As you are an artist too -- photography is a true art, as you know -- I know you can relate. I find it fascinating how you might not be fond of a photograph at first, but later, at home, you get to view it differently and see what you didn't originally see. Your photographs are incredibly amazing, and your sharing them with readers is a true gift. I always look forward to your posts!
Keep enjoying these happy accidents and creating your art. It's true: we are always learning with our craft!
Beth, as far as I'm concerned, you're the best darn beginner I've seen. Please don't sell yourself short. You are very good. Your sky looks lovely. If I would have painted the sky, I would have made it solid blue, with no clouds. Of course, it wouldn't have any depth, but . . .
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for the compliment; I so appreciate it. Yes, I am happy with the sky.
I bet you would do better with art than you'd think. I really believe that everyone has artistry within them -- whether it be writing, visual arts, performance arts, and so on. I was fortunate enough to have some training and spend lots of time practicing.
I just enjoy the beginner's mentality of trying something new and giving myself permission to fail or succeed at it.
I love your ‘happy accident’ in the cloud. It’s lovely. And even better is feeling your joy with it. I think ‘beginner’s mind’ is the best way to create. It keeps the adventure open and the possibilities endless. I look forward to seeing more of your paintings and progress and joy.
Hi Susan,
I'm so glad you are enjoying my happy accident. You are an amazing artist, so I also welcome your perspective as an artist. Yes, art "keeps the adventure open and the possibilities endless," as you say so well.
I always look forward to your posts because I get to see your art, which is exquisite.
Beth you never fail to offer me insight and inspiration. I so admire how you're able to remain steadfast in your determination to keep trying with your lovely paintings, to try different approaches and to keep learning from your missteps--that takes great strength and a resolve that can only lead to bold results. In contrast, I think how many times I've gotten so frustrated that I've just given up--but with time and patience, there is a silver li
ning. I just love your cloud painting and I love that you provoke me to keep trying new things and stay fervent--stay connected to what gives you power.
Hi Gerry,
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging comments. I think that giving up for awhile can also be a blessing because it gives us time to reflect and maybe try again, even if it is a significant amount of time later. Take my plein air experience, for example. I gave up on it for 15-plus years. Then I watched a webinar from a plein air expert and was encouraged by her and figured I'd give it another try.
Frustration is part of the learning that takes place. I remember watching my students get frustrated and then suddenly they understood what was expected of them. I can't even count the number of times art has frustrated me, too. I used to have a bad habit of throwing away canvases, much to Hans' insistence on me reusing them. Truth is, at the time, I couldn't bear to look at them.
I appreciate you, Gerry. Thank you.
The beauty of being a beginner to embrace our hurdles as learning curves — you make art so fun. I feel nourished by all of your pieces in words and in paint.
Great post. I have a plan to paint. I feel encouraged to be a beginner.
Thank you, Beth.
Oooh, Prajna, you are going to paint? I LOVE this! You can find the medium that you like best, and then go for it! I am excited for you. Painting is a joy.
Hi Beth, Yes, I want to.
Yes, do it! ❤
Beth~ You inspire me! Your blog reminds me of what I tell my clients a lot, "We are all a work in progress." Your painting is coming along beautifully. You did an excellent job with your blend of the muted colors. It gives it a nice, soft look which is calming. Great work, my friend!
Hi Pam, thank you. You also inspire me with your paintings and your incredible work ethic in general. You are so right by saying, "We are all a work in progress." So true and insightful.
I appreciate your kind words regarding my draft of this landscape. Xo
This essay read like a myth. Written in the language of metaphor, you've revealed how learning to paint is like learning to become a human being. Curiosity; learning from mistakes; passion for beauty's expression; risk; experiment; making joy as you go . . . That's how I read it, anyway. So much of what informs your art, can also inform a life. Personally and in art, I want to grow, says everything in this piece.
And I love how you weave in the idea of "beginner's mind." I learned about that as a Buddhist concept years ago and it still serves. You point out how we are all beginners and yet sometimes, a white cloud will fold perfectly into the blue of sky, and surprise us.
I felt drawn to this canvas when you first began working on it -- and now, watching it become, it is, as one reader says, "breathtaking."
Beth, every week, I look forward to your essays and art. I learn from you. I'm inspired by you and I am delighted with our connection. Thank you for an excellent, thought-provoking and uplifting story/mythology of how we paint our life. Your forever friend and fan, stephanie XO
Stephanie,
I so appreciate your high compliment. You are so right about likening painting to becoming a human being. It is true. I think the act of creation is such an important human act; it helps maintain and restore our humanity. Creation is one essence of being human in my opinion.
This is why I so strongly believe in the humanities. Whether it's visual art, writing, drama, ballet, and so on, the humanities helps us think about what it means to be human.
I am so bowled over by the fact that you look forward to my art and essays! I am also inspired by you, your stories, and your eloquent, poignant writing, your generosity with sharing your life with us. I am so glad we have found each other.
We are blessed, lucky, fortunate and the like, to have found each other. I'm so glad you are part of my creative life. Biggest of hugs, Beth.
Wow Beth! The second one is breathtaking!
Thank you, Rea! I so appreciate it. :)
Beth, thank you so much for sharing these beautiful reflections. I’m so impressed by how lovingly you approach your 'beginner' within … not as a failure, but as a source of freedom and joy. You remind me that ‘happy accidents’ are often our psyche’s way of guiding us toward deeper Truth.
The beginner’s stance isn't about lack, but about possibility. It’s the attitude of the Higher Self … inviting us to stay curious, humble and ever receptive to transformation. Each brushstroke, whether it works or not, becoming part of the dialogue between mind, body, spirit and soul..
Your beautiful skies, your patience with the mountains … all feel like part of a gentle unfolding. Thank you again for showing me how art can become a path of growth, not mastery; a way of living, loving ... rather than simply arriving.
Wow! What a blessing it is to be a beginner ... where each misstep becomes part of the dance of becoming. 🙏💖🎨
Hi Deborah,
Wow, thank you for such a beautiful comment. I have found through the years that self-love and self-care help us better appreciate our beginner within. I love your interpretation of happy accidents -- perhaps that is, indeed, the psyche's way of helping us discover truth.
You have offered such wonderful insight about beginnership becoming the "Higher Self." Thank you for this. I think in this life, seeking growth is so much more important than mastery. And I love how you describe being a beginner: "...where each misstep becomes part of the dance of becoming." Beautifully written.