Life lessons I learned in my art studio

The lockdown made me re-discover my passion for art. Also that little voice in my head. 

We always have a conversation about what to paint and how to approach it. When I make a mistake the voice yells, “That was stupid!” Don’t worry, I’m never offended.  Sometimes I tell him, “You’re more stupid.” And he doesn’t answer back.

Here are other things we “talk” about.

Our goal is to be artistic, not perfect.

My art style is not hyper-realism. But there are times when I would obsess over a detail or stroke that is not precise. The little voice would reassure, “no one will even notice or pay attention to that detail. And you know what, imperfection is your style.”

I tend to believe the voice. Then I would realize, “Why attempt to be perfect? Nothing in life is perfect.” I would also remember that part of the book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff that says perfectionists are sad because nothing in the world seems good enough for them.

I would recall that my naif art style in the ’90s used to delight a lot of people. They loved the childlike attitude. I would also remember that I admire so many people who are charming and likable when they are not perfect.

You’re the only one who knows your mistake

There are times when I cannot properly execute what I had envisioned and I would feel frustrated. I would feel the same way when, after a speech, I’d realize that there were important things or nice jokes I forgot to say. In times like this, the voice would tell me, “You’re the only one who knows about your original plan. If people are happy with the outcome anyway, why be disappointed?” 

I am usually relieved by such reminder because I believe that we don’t really know what was on the mind of people we admired. For example, we didn’t know what Kobe Bryant planned to do but we were so thrilled with what we saw. For sure, we have appreciated amazing doctors when we didn’t know their original dream was to become a movie star.

Don’t run when no one’s chasing you

This is also an adage among magicians. It means trying to rush a move or perfect a sleight for fear of being caught when in reality, non-magicians don’t even suspect any deception in the move.

There are days when I feel stressed about being unproductive. I would say “I could have finished this, I should have done that,” etc. Then my voice would speak, “Some things are urgent. Your art is not. There is plenty of time ahead because you will have a long life.” Of course, no one is sure about how long they will live but I have to tell myself that. 

I now believe that there is no need to frequently impress people. They’re not even thinking about me that much because they have so many other things to care about.

I am not superior to anyone

When I was a young man in the competitive world of advertising, I believed in the motivation gurus who compelled us to become great. I was indoctrinated to think that every person has to become an eagle, not a duck. 

Okay, I still believe in constant self-improvement. That’s why at fifty I tried learning to play drums and at 59, I learned painting with watercolors. But my talents do not make me superior to or happier than people who are not even trying to do more. They define their own happiness and their own success. I have no right to impose rules and standards on other people.

God insists on His plans

The orange vase in the picture is an example of this. I only planned to paint circles on the vase but gravity caused the paint to drip. So, I decided to just go with it. When accidents happen as I paint, I adjust or deviate from my blueprint. The results often come out nicer than I originally planned. The voice in my head would say “God, ruined your plan because His plan is better.” Of course, it is just a guess because no one is 100% sure about how God works in our lives.

Wait…is the voice in my head actually God’s? I hope not because he calls me “stupid.”

(Please check out or follow my art account on Instagram. robertlabayen_art

Thank you!)