PAINTING is the answer to the above question (if you didn't catch on). This post is ALL about painting! Actually it is about watercolor painting on Yupo paper. Yupo paper is a synthetic paper that is waterproof, stain-resistant and extremely durable. It is a blast to paint on!

I love the how many techniques there are to mix colors and create textures. When you add water, the colors create designs and swirl around each other without necessarily blending, creating a marble look. You don't need heaps of natural talent to create compelling art on Yupo paper. If you are patient and eager to explore with colors, you can produce frame-worthy pieces. The best part of Yupo paper is that if you mess up all you need is a wet cloth to wipe everything clean and start fresh!

This is purple one above is one of my personal favorites. I used a water dropper to create a pool effect on the paint where it dropped, and turned the paper in different directions as the paint was drying to create this rougher looking texture. Do they look like rose petals? That's what I was going for!

Once I discovered how to create rougher textures I ventured into more abstract, whimsical styles that gave three-dimensional illusions.

A dear friend recently gifted me with a beautiful watercolor palette. These rich colors motivated me to try painting recreationally and using Yupo paper changed the game (as you can see). To be fair, my mother actually discovered Yupo paper at a local art store (thanks, mom). Painting is now a full-fledged hobby for me!

While I admittedly do not posses the same natural flair for painting as my mother and sister, I uncovered a dormant passion in painting. Don't you love when you discover a new passion? I can thank Lyme for that, as I probably wouldn't have time for painting if I was hustling and bustling around the clock like the rest of this crazy planet (or just a normal person).

Painting is an outlet to express my frustrations, fears, heartaches and dreams. Color is a surprisingly effective language to communicate emotions and tell stories. Colors can scream loudly or sing delicately. Best of all, they can illustrate the nuance of complicated human emotions in a way that other art forms cannot as easily do.

By the way, I am an INFP on the Meyers Briggs scale, so I think largely in abstractions and ideas. My mumbling about colors and emotions probably glosses over a lot of heads, but now you hear some of my inner dialogue when it comes to my paintings. I also like painting with more details and shapes but will use other types of paper and sometimes other paints for that (I will probably show some of those in a future post).

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my art therapy portfolio. For anyone looking for a safe outlet to unwind and de-stress, I highly recommend painting (especially if you have a chronic illness or are walking through a tough season). You might be surprised at how relaxing and satisfying it can be!