Anyone Can Paint!

I would like to debunk the false myth that drawing or painting is a skill you are born with—a talent that stays with you from childhood, leaving the rest of humanity with no chance of ever acquiring it.

And if the desire to explore the world of painting arises in adulthood, well, forget it! We tell ourselves it's better to stop before we even begin, better to just watch others, because "everything we do must have a precise, measurable, and tangible purpose; everything must have a specific goal.”

With these assumptions, even a small watercolour brush feels as heavy as a boulder!

Drawing for the soul

What if we started by simply asking ourselves: "Why paint?"

To produce a BEAUTIFUL image!

An interesting answer, if a bit vague... Is an image beautiful only if it receives appreciation from others? Or if it reproduces what I see with a certain degree of realism? What is your answer?

Every time I shift my focus to the result, or try to measure and compare, I feel a sort of "success anxiety": a gentle awakening of my inner judge, who can't wait to make me feel inadequate or incapable. Do I really want to trade a GOOD drawing for a BAD feeling?!

You don't need to be a great artist to paint with joy!

What happens if, instead, I focus on what I feel while I am painting? I listen to my thoughts losing their importance; I watch the colours meet the water, mixing and changing... I slow down. I am calm. Whatever image emerges will bring me back to this BEAUTIFUL moment; whatever image comes out will be BEAUTIFUL to me!

Painting without pressure

Making friends with the colours and trusting the water.

So, why paint?

For the well-being of the soul. Because when I am at peace, those around me feel better too. Because colours and water are my friends. Because I can distance myself from my thoughts—even the ones that might pull me down.

Over time, painting has changed the way I look at the world. Not because I was born with an extraordinary artistic talent (I only started using watercolours at 36, after dedicating my heart and soul to mathematics!), but simply because it brings me back to the present moment. It helps me put things into perspective—or as Einstein might say... to relativize them!

We can all paint!