Blog 10: White Christmas

 This week I finished my pine tree painting. I added some snow and a deer (thanks for the recommendation Jordon!) This painting would pair nicely with Christmas decorations, but I am also considering gifting it to a friend. Tis the season!

Being a first-year grad student has influenced my participation in painting in a couple of ways. I knew from the start that I needed to choose an occupation that allowed me to feel like I was taking a break from school work. I have come to really appreciate this assignment because I am checking an assignment off my to-do list, while also getting to take a moment to relax and do something fun. I will admit that on certain weeks where I have had an important test in another class, I’ve prioritized studying for that test over putting more time into my paintings. There are weeks where I have painted for longer than others, so it does seem to even out in the end. Each week is different. 

 At the beginning of the semester, I had all of these plans to create elaborate paintings. In my mind it seemed reasonable to finish one painting a week and have it look perfect. I quickly learned that painting the perfect picture each week was going to take much more time than I originally thought. Had this been my only class this semester, I might have been able to put extra time into my paintings. However, I had to practice occupational balance with both my other classes and my life in general. By the third or fourth blog, I accepted that it was okay to not have a finished product that matched the ideal painting in my mind. I also realized that it was okay to spend a couple of weeks on one painting and have it look more detailed, quality over quantity.