Decades of being creative have affected my approach to problem solving. My first oil painting blew off the easel face down into gravel. Disappointed, I tried to pick out the small rocks from the thick oil paint. That was messy and not working well, so I stood back and re-evaluated the situation. I realized that the gravel added a complementary texture to the stone cathedral in my landscape. I decided to leave in the gravel bits and finished the painting. A woman walking by came over, admired my artwork and bought it on the spot.
Like everything, the artistic process has its share of challenges. Can we use those roadblocks to our advantage?
Another Example
Let me share with you a visual example of my process of dealing with a challenge. My husband built this dresser out of pine.
Though the dresser was lovely, we agreed that it would look better if it matched the faux marble finish on the floor. The left side of the above photo reveals what the floor looked like before I painted the faux finish shown on the right side. (See my previous newsletter for more detailed pictures of the painted floor.)
I began this dresser project by priming the front of each drawer.
On the front of each drawer, I painted a faux marble finish using the same acrylic paints that I had on the floor—yellow ocher, burnt sienna, zinc white, tan and burnt umber.
Before I did a faux finish on the white borders, I protected the painted areas with green painters tape.
I applied burnt sienna and burnt umber acrylic paints to the borders. 
I blended the colors and voilà!
Build Your Ingenuity Muscles
Have you ever improved a recipe after substituting for a missing ingredient or discovered an easier way to make something? Problems spark innovations in cooking and beyond. Take a few moments to reflect on your solutions to past challenges. How did you improve the situation?
Now, turn your attention to a current personal dilemma. Approach it from a fresh perspective: Embrace the challenge as an opportunity to exercise and further develop your problem-solving abilities, your ingenuity muscles. Research and try new solutions. Use obstacles that come your way as springboards to create something better.
Solution to Old Problem
Anne Melfi is a generous soul who gives my Distance Healings to her family, friends and neighbors. It is a law of the universe that when you give, you receive. Sometimes, gifts come from complete strangers, like the flowers in her hair. Anne has shared with me many uplifting reports. Here is one about her sister that fits in with our topic about creative solutions to our problems:
"You have been doing Distance Healings for my family, and so I thought you would like to hear that my sister Betty has had a breakthrough in body and mind. She feels much more energetic after decades of struggling with Lyme disease, and I notice her mind is much clearer, more upbeat and reflects more positivity. She was very much debilitated by the condition for so long so this is really wonderfully surprising news. She also wanted me to know that she has started meditating regularly again."
Anne Melfi
More
I would love to hear your thoughts about my artwork and the contents of this post. You are welcome to do so in the Comment Section below. I love to read your comments! You can use your name or a pseudonym.
With heartfelt wishes that you overcome every challenge and emerge triumphant,
Suzanne
This inspires me to create my own pieces. Thank you!
Thanks for the little art-making stories! I knew a potter who said she always let the clay participate in what she was making. You let the air participate in your en plein air work. And that dresser-floor combination is <chef’s kiss>.
It is amazing how you transformed that dresser and what you showed in your previous posts, like that gorgeous faux finish marble floor. It’s amazing that your talented on the outside and the inside – a real modern Rishi.
I should do your healings, I looked at your testimonial page and WOW, there several people I know. And so many testimonials! Also, I do enjoy what you write in your artwork — thanks for sharing that at no cost – you obviously put a lot of work into doing the artwork and writing.
I like that your blog posts have a section for integrating the knowledge you are talking about. It helps integrate what you’re talking about in my life. I have noticed the great difference in my life from your healings.