Painting - GOLF is art. Vol. 2 print - 8x10

So here is the first painting I've ever done.

I set out with all intentions of failing as I'd never successfully drawn a stick figure before. But my kids are really into painting so l figured I would join them.

I literally had no idea what | was doing. Didn't watch any videos or anything I just wanted to see how quickly I would give up. Seriously. The only thing I knew about acrylic (got a super cheap set of brushes and paint from Target lol) was the importance of layering. Sol did 4 harsh contrast sections to start.

Our kitchen table these days has been a zoo. My OCD is so severe most days that I wanna bury my head in the sand forever but when the whole fam is around the table painting, toddler included, let the mess get messier and totally here for it.

2 reasons why l've never tried art before:

• I sucked in art class because I didn't think I was creative, was terrible at anything I tried to do with my hands, and we didn't have photo class so | didn't know for over a decade that that was my thing
• the few times I have tried to tinker with drawing / sketching / painting as an adult, it would give me more anxiety on top of my 50 other anxiety disorders and I hate that feeling so I simply wasn't interested.

I've been struggling with my vision the last several months. Really been a challenge with photography and was mega exacerbated while trying to paint. I can't see close up worth crap with my contact lenses in, and I definitely can't see well when it gets dark. Realized this am that the best way for me to see the details was to paint with no contacts or glasses, which puts my face about 3 inches from the paper lol

The next section, and by far the most time-consuming, was trying to mix the limited handful of colors I had until something felt right. Then I would do it again and again.  Eventually there was a point where I realized I could actually do it, so then I was fully committed lol. Took over a week of tinkering before painting finally painting the lettering.

During this this entire process, I was anxious about butchering the whole thing when it came down to the details - mainly the tree, the people, and the text.

Very intricate details that I had zero experience in or business trying. We didn't have any stencils, and I wanted to use the same font as the journal anyways, so I sketched the font and cut it out with an art knife I had recently got for my kids Maker's Market.

To think that 12 months ago, GOLF is art. was hardly a faint imaginary thought. And here I am painting the cover of Volume 2.

Heres the thing: I'm not quitting my day job lol. I'll let Dave Baysden do the painting and I'll do the admiring of his incredible craft.  And maybe I'll actually have a true hobby for once; as least for the winter.  SO, imma need y'all to help me sell hundreds of journals so we can eat this winter 😂