Yesterday, I went to Kyoto to take my regular painting lesson. When I got off a train, I noticed that snow was still on the platform. Last Sunday it had snowed and seeing the unmelted snow made me think my teacher's area must be colder. Since all my classmates were absent, I was the only student in the class. It was great to have my painting teacher all to myself. I could ask whatever I wanted without waiting for my turn.
My teacher is a very friendly person, and she is also my mentor. Fortunately, since there were no other students, I was able to ask her some very personal questions. First, I asked her how long she planned to keep painting. She answered she would do until her death. Since I didn't expect the answer, I was a bit surprised. As getting older, our eyesight gets worse, our hands might start shaking and our mind will be unclear, but she wants to paint even in the situation. I sometimes ask to myself how long I want to continue painting, and my answer is it's probably until I'm 80. That means I still have over 20 years left to paint, but I’ve never really thought about what comes after that. She told me that we don't need to set our limits on ourselves.
Next, I asked her what she would do if she could no longer paint exactly as she imagined due to aging. Without hesitating, she immediately responded that she would simply paint whatever she could in that situation. I also asked her if her work no longer look great or nobody wanted to buy them, how she would feel. She said she definitely wouldn't care if these pieces would sold. She has never painted for the sake of selling her work or following the art market. She always paints from the heart. Selling or not is just a result and artists can't control that. We should follow our hearts when we create art.
I was so impressed by all her answers that they changed my perspective. I'd love to behave like her. I think I'm very lucky to have her as my mentor because I can follow in her footsteps and learn from her. Her answers made me realized that I should appreciate the present moment and focus on what’s in front of me. I don't want to worry about whether I’ll still be able to paint in the future. Instead, I want to focus on becoming the best artist I can be.
（4799）
Great post. I'm with your teacher on this one. There's no point in worrying about the future; after all, we don't even know if we will be in it. The present is all there is.
Hi, @BalaGi Thank you for reading and commenting! I think you are sooooooooooo right!!!!
I believe that in addition to learning to paint porcelain, she is unconsciously learning to be the ones who are your teacher. Her spirit, little by little, is becoming twinned with yours and you will do the same as her, @yumiyumayume .
Thank you, @druida I'm not such great, but I try my best!