A Lot of Work and Just a Bit of Listening

I stare at the blank paper
It glares back at me
Slowly, I lift the lid off of my chalk, whoosh!
A musty smell fills the air
I grab a cold, damp stick of chalk
The ideas start to flow, too many at once
My mind is on overload, I can’t think straight, just like a computer
When you’ve clicked on too many programs at once
I sit staring into space at what to others seems to be nothing
But isn’t nothing
I have to concentrate on every single vision in my head
Spotting out a special few until I have found exactly what I am looking for
The only thing left is to make my creation come to life

It takes me a few lines to know exactly how I am drawing this particular picture
But once I have begun, I can’t stop until I am finished with the sketch
Next comes the color
The chalk and I become one
It tells me what colors to use, how much, and where to use it
A hint of blue here, a slash of red there
Just a dot of orange and a speck of purple
I go as slowly as I can, making sure everything is perfect
After each color I take my finger and blend it in
Soon the chalk is a glove to my hand

As soon as I am finished I study the picture as a whole
My picture then takes a step out of itself
Walking around, eyeing every critical detail
Nodding every so often
Frowning now and then
Picking out minor imperfections I have overlooked
It then steps back into the paper and peers back at me
Sometimes I get praise, and other times suggestions for improvements

It takes strength to let your art give you constructive criticism
It makes the little person inside me grow smaller and smaller
Only to then eventually grow larger and larger

Listen to your art
It really does talk if you listen close enough
Listen to your art, and it will speak to you
Crushing you down, only to rebuild you
Bigger, better, and stronger as an artist

Brianna Sejnoha