Nadine J Walters – My Life

Question for today: How is the painting going?

Answer:
I’m feeling deeply inspired lately. I’m not exactly sure why, but I seem to be in a state of flow—letting the paint guide me, rather than trying to control it.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been struggling with perfectionism. I kept wanting every painting to be a masterpiece, and truthfully, that’s an impossible standard—especially at this point in my artistic journey. Recently, I discovered two video lessons in my Creative Visionary Program (CVP) that helped shift my perspective. They reminded me that the process matters more than the outcome. I just need to show up, paint, step back and reflect, and then either revise—or let it be.

One breakthrough has been focusing on a single area within each piece. I’ve realized that honing in on one part of the painting—making it the central purpose—gives the work clarity and strength. I had been filling my boards and canvases with busy little marks everywhere. But when I started photographing my work and zooming in on small sections—just a corner, perhaps—I saw that those isolated areas often captured exactly what I was striving for all along.

It struck me that this painting process mirrors my life: sometimes chaotic, scattered, full of motion. Letting go of teaching yoga—even temporarily—has created space. Dedicating this summer to art has helped me discover small, quiet corners of calm that feel meaningful. I’m learning to work intentionally with those instead of chasing productivity or fulfilling the expectations of others.

I know that aging brings inevitable change—my husband’s health, my sister’s needs, grandchildren growing up. Life continues to shift. But for now, in this slice of the present, I’m choosing to follow the current, to slow down, and to let painting be my sanctuary.

This summer, I’m not chasing perfection. I’m finding presence—in brushstrokes, in quiet moments, and in the evolving rhythm of my life.