My wife is an artist. Not a professional, that’s what she does for a living artist (though she probably could), but a loves to make art of all types (including photography), was a middle school art teacher and has a degree in Art Therapy kind of artist. She’s very talented and is a great proponent of art.

So, when she suggested an “art party” a few years ago, I thought she was bonkers. Never having tried to paint and not being able to draw much more than a modest stick figure, I was looking forward to an evening of utter boredom.

My wife invited a few friends over to participate in the event and I must say that it turned out to be a great evening. Not that I’ll be the next Michaelangelo, but I enjoyed the process and satisfaction of completing a piece of art. I’ve found that I’m influenced by the works of Jackson Pollock and Dale Chihuly, both of whom employ techniques that don’t require using a brush. There is something calming, or relaxing, about painting for me, not unlike standing in a river fly-fishing. If you’ve never done either, I’d recommend you try one or other, at least once in your lifetime.

Having said all that, what I really learned from the evening is that we all need to take time for ourselves to do the things we enjoy, whether that’s painting, fly-fishing or photography. So, pick up some paint and give it a try – you might just discover the joy of art.