The Most Valuable Thing an Artist Can Learn

Your light does not come from your successes.

Your light is not ignited by perfection,

or achievement or body shape.

Your light is not fuelled by popularity or acceptance.

Neither is your light at any risk of being put out,

when other lights around you, are bright.

Your light is simply made of the you-ness that makes you you,

the worries you have in the night,

the music which sparks your joy,

the books you had to read twice,

the memories stored safely in your heart,

The people you love and the people who love you.

Your light is never dependant on how you look,

or how you perform.

It’s just there,

and it’s quite simply brilliant,

and it’s all yours.

And it lights up every room you walk into,

whether you activate it or not.

What a wonderful thing.

Shine bright little fighter,

this dark world needs your glow.

-Donna Ashworth

From ‘I Wish I Knew’: https://amzn.to/3JVMJlZ

Friends, I am so grateful for all of you!

I absolutely love the work that I do, but it would not be possible without my subscribers, students, followers and friends.

The more I teach, the more I am finding out what my artists need the most.

Sure, they need to learn techniques, acquire proper supplies, and know how to work from reference photos.

They even need accountability, which I provide.

But I'm finding that the most valuable thing an artist can learn, is that this creativity thing; this unquenchable obsession to paint, is a GIFT.

Your value and worth as a human being isn't on the line here! It is INFINITE and unable to be diminished; no matter what kind of 💩-y marks are being made on your fancy-100% cotton-Italian-or-French-or-German-made paper! None of it is a waste, nor is it a loss. It is all valid.

It's all part of the artist journey.

And it is a beautiful one.

HAPPY PAINTING!!!

xo-Ashley