serendipity

[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]

noun

1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.

2. good fortune; luck: the serendipity of getting the first job she applied for.

a student making a beautiful mess!

last night during class we were talking about serendipity as it relates to art journaling. i love that word. doesn’t it just make you happy saying it? serendipity.

i love having this kind of attitude when it comes to art journaling. because so often when we are art journaling we don’t get the result that we desire. it’s right then and there that we have a choice to make. to become obsessed with that mistake and try to cover over it. or to see it as an opportunity for something greater.

i love watching my students when they make their first big “mistake” journaling. one of two things happen. either a) they frown and try to reverse it, or b) they invite the mistake as something beautiful and just go with it.

more messy hands from fingerpainting last night

but often it’s those mistakes where you find some beautiful discovery. something you would have never seen if it had all come out perfectly. the ones who have trouble letting go, those are the ones who anguish over every little detail. every smudge of paint is a cringe. and i just remind them gently that they have to let it go.

nothing is permanent in art journaling. there isn’t a page that can’t be repaired, changed, painted over. so once they realize that, they start to ease up a little bit. it’s going to be ok. you can fix this.

it’s most definitely a lesson in life. letting go. moving on. looking for the beauty in the heartache.

what happy accidents have you made lately? or are you too focused on the oops that you can’t see the beauty right in front of you?

the two lovely ladies who flew here to take my class

as a side note: i had some amazing students last night. it’s the first time that two people have actually flown across the country to come to one of my classes! i felt so honored. they were sisters and very much fun to have in class. every time they did something that they liked, they would jump out of their seats. we had a blast! thanks for making last night’s class so special ladies!!!