Speaking of loves, today's Whatever Wednesday post is about pursuing your passions. EYC is a "healthy living blog;" to me, healthy living does not just entail eating 5+ servings of veggies a day or hitting up the gym now and then. One of the keys to feeling your best is to do something every day that excites you. Whether enrolling in a college course you are passionate about or taking up a hobby that you constantly look forward to, pursuing your interests can cut down on stress and improve your attitude
One of my personal passions is art. I took my very first basic design class this semester, but otherwise I have never taken an art class. What I know I learned from museum visits, gallery viewings, art history studies, and just experimenting on my own. I'll sketch in school notebooks, create pastel still-lifes for my room, draw colorful birthday cards...only this week did I truly dabble in paint.
Recently, some friends of a friend asked me to create a painting for their apartment. They requested a flowery design in specific colors, large enough to cover some ugly mirrors stuck on their wall by a previous tenant. Since they were covering supply costs and I was basically finished with classes before Thanksgiving break, I spent the other night turning the corner of my apartment into a makeshift painter's studio.
Step 1: Sketching options for my commissioners (he he), who decided on this design:
Step 2: Creating a more polished draft with colored markers:
Step 3: Mixing colors and painting...
and painting...
and painting for 5 hours.
Step 4: Voila!
Although it took up a good chunk of my time, I thoroughly enjoyed painting this piece. Something about mixing acrylics and washing brushes is so relaxing.
What hobby helps you de-stress?
Today's Recommended Read: Popcorn's Dark Secret (NYTimes)
