Plein Air... Olives?

I think every artist has this great vision of travelling the world, finding an amazing landscape, and just going ham with their canvas, paper, or whatever medium they fancy.

But sometimes, things don’t quite go as planned… in the best possible way.

On a recent solo trip to Barcelona, it occurred to me that neither the glorious scenery (thanks, rain!) nor the feeling of “I’m creating something amazing right now!” always shows up.

I often get bogged down by the details and the pressure to find the perfect scene for a beautiful plein air painting. But as I stared at a scrumptious plate of olives, I knew it was time to whip out the sketchbook.

I wouldn’t say this is any Mona Lisa or Da Vinci, but it’s definitely me. And that’s the type of art I want to create—even if it’s inspired by my slight addiction to olives.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that overthinking is a burden to the soul and to the art. Maybe we should follow our stomachs more than our heads… even when it comes to creating.

I hope this very short post (and my first!) brings a little lightheartedness to those all-too-familiar feelings we experience as artists.