Paint Night

Just like most adults in America, I work a lot. There have been weeks in the past year where I've spent more time in front of some sort of screen - computer, phone and TV - then I spend in front of anything else except for maybe my eyelids while I'm asleep. It's sad but it is totally true. I spend hours at work in front of the computer and in front of my phone - sometimes at the same time even and then I come and wind down watching one of my favorite mindless TV shows. A few months ago I had enough with my newly formed routine (it seems every winter this routine somehow is formed). I knew that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do so I told Erin, my soon to be wife, that I was going to be screen free at home (with few exceptions).

So she planned and took me to Paint Night!

We got to Paint Night and walked into a room with I don't know, probably 30 paint stations set up with blank canvases, paint, paint brushes and water.  At the front of the room was a beautifully and what seemed to be perfectly painted Seattle skyline with Mt. Rainier in the background. Erin and I giggled a bit when we were told that we were going to paint something similar on our blank canvas (with help from an instructor, of course). 

We sat down and the instructor told us to put some paint on the brush and go for it. He explained how to make different colors and demonstrated a few different painting techniques. He showed us how to make mountains, clouds and buildings and then we were left to transfer what we had learned onto our our own canvas. 

Three hours later I had a masterpiece and I was surpassingly proud of it. Erin had a master piece too - so did everyone else in the class. Yet all the masterpieces were different. Similar but different. 

I started to think about my life and how it relates to my experience at Paint Night. Every day, maybe every decision even, I am adding to the canvas of my life. When I look at my Paint Night painting that is now hanging on our wall I can visually see the areas that came easy and others that were more difficult. The same happens in my life.

The parts of my painting where I messed up and had to paint over what I originally painted are my favorite parts of the painting. Those parts are dynamic and colorful and interesting. Sound familiar? Does that sound like life? 

I have a lot of thoughts about life and love and happiness. I want to share them. I want to share them mostly for me but if my thoughts resonate with others to provoke positive thoughts or positive change, I'm totally into that!  

Welcome to Paint Night.