300 Blues

So…for the past year and a half, I have had a painting sitting unfinished on my easel.

The unfinished painting.

As I have struggled with depression and anxiety, I slowly moved away from the things I once loved. One of those things was painting. Something that once brought me joy became something I simply stopped doing.

It wasn’t until I participated in art therapy during residential treatment that I started painting again. Once I picked up a brush, I remembered something important: I truly love to paint.

During treatment, I created a small “Blues” painting made up of 108 blue squares, painted in acrylics on canvas board. It reminded me how calming and meaningful the creative process could be.

108 Blues

Since returning home, life has been busy, and I haven’t made much time to pull out the paints. Instead, I have been focusing on my “Little People” drawings. But this weekend, I finally had the time.

I spent several hours finishing the painting that had been waiting for me for so long. This piece consisted of 300 different shades of blue, each painted in two-inch-by-two-inch squares. It took a while, but I finished it.

300 Blues—finished!

And honestly, it felt like a little win.

Recovery is often about small steps forward, and for me, this felt like one of them. Even better, I already have plans for my next painting. I’ll be sure to share it when it’s finished.

More later…