There are Endless Ups and Downs
How to Appreciate Both
Have you ever noticed how some art just pops while other paintings seem, well, flat? Some canvas art seems almost three dimensional while other pieces look as flat as a pancake.
Being a self-taught artist, I never formally studied the ins and outs of creating art. I've had to figure it out as I go.
I've had some "happy accidents" along the way and some not so happy accidents as well.
So the first time I created a piece that seemed to leap off the canvas, I wanted to figure out exactly what caused it to look that way so I could replicate it.
It was then that I began my informal study of other's paintings and started making mental notes of the elements that gave each great painting that special appeal.
And while there are many things that have to come together just right to create a masterpiece, I found one element that was extremely easy to include in every painting.
It's contrast.
Nothing makes a sunset pop like darker clouds surrounding it. Not necessarily storm clouds, although they work well too, but anything several shades darker than the sun will work.
Bright sunlit leaves against a backdrop of deep green forest makes that scene come alive. Glowing highlights on the crest of a deep blue breaking wave gives the feeling of almost being there.
It's a very simple concept that yields major results.
And since I always view my creation of art against the backdrop of life experience, I started looking for evidence of contrast in the world.
It wasn't hard to find, either.
Contrast is literally everywhere. In the trees, in the sky, on the ground, in the water, there's nowhere you look that you don't see it.
But it goes way deeper than that.
It's on the inside too. It's in those deep recesses of your mind, your psyche, your emotions, and your spirit.
We would never know happiness if there were no sadness. We would not experience joy if pain didn't exist.
Even love and indifference are two ends of the same stick.
Once I internalized this concept, it made me look at the "bad" things in life with a new set of eyes.I've felt tremendous happiness in my life, but I've also experienced times of great sadness.
I've lived through a wide variety of joy and pain. And I've loved to the highest mountain top while other times, I've cared so little.
But without this contrast, there would be only a flat, gray life. There is no high without a low. Plains can be nice to look at, but mountains and valleys are so much more interesting.
Even a heartbeat causes peaks and valleys on an EKG monitor while a flat line means death.
So this week, I ask you to look at the lows in your life with a new perspective. The bad times are never pleasant, but the rebound is so sweet. And those are the moments we live for - those are our masterpieces.
Want to know more? Follow me on Facebook @ArtByKimHight for fun facts, daily celebrations, and inspiration.
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