Friday's Finds: Gratitude

About 15 years ago, Oprah had lots of us keeping "Gratitude Journals," an exercise in focusing on what's best in our lives. Although my "Gratitude Journal" has long vanished, this Friday following Thanksgiving has me once again contemplating three things I am grateful for. And as 2010 draws to a close, my thankfulness has taken on a watercolor theme.

1. I am grateful for the hundreds of people who have entered my life through watercolor circles: classmates and students, members of BWS, KWS and WSI, workshop participants and instructors. I have even reconnected with high school friends at shows and in classes. In many cases, the friendships have gone beyond our art; we have propped up each other during illnesses of parents and children, we have cheered on our children as they pursue their endeavors, and we have inspired each other to take better care of the world we live in.
2. I am grateful some of those watercolor friends pass on great tips like this one: Today, Friday the 26th, Wishful Thinking is having a storewide sale. At checkout, you will get an additional 5% to 50% off your entire purchase, including already discounted merchandise. Oh yeah, the staff is serving free cookies and hot apple cider all day, too. The store is at Old School Way and Main in downtown Nashville, Ind., and is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (I hate to miss this one, but I'll try to make up for it with a visit to Preston Art Center in Louisville that day.)
3. I am grateful watercolor is an interest I now share with both my daughter and my mother. I love seeing their views of our world, and I look forward to a spring outing to Sycamore Springs -- just the three of us to paint a day away.
4. I am grateful that watercolor enriches my experience of life. When I am actively painting, I see the world differently. Sunsets are more than daily occurrences; they become mental exercises as I figure out how I would try to capture that effect on paper. Sometimes I think watercolor artists need  bumper stickers warning people behind them that the driver just may be "seeing" something that they are missing.
5. I am grateful for my digital camera, which now allows me to immediately print an image from one of those drives mentioned in the preceding paragraph. No longer do I have to wait for film to be developed or to weigh whether to "waste" the roll of film to get the image I want. And most important, I know whether I have the image I want to paint from and I can delete the rest. I figure I've saved thousands of dollars in film and developing costs (of course, art stores have "picked up the slack").

Oops, I've quickly exceeded the limit of three things to be grateful for, so I will stop. I hope you all have had a lovely holiday with family and friends, and even if it hasn't included painting, it has at least allowed you some time to recharge and/or find some new inspirations.