Cultivating Kindness in Art

Thich Nhat Hahn talks about planting seeds of joy. How do we do that with art? How do we cultivate joy and kindness in art? It begins with the artist's mind and intention. If an artist approaches art like a meditation then awareness and mindfulness begins by bringing one's awareness to their mind and heart. A painting session could go something like this: the artist begins with the open hearted attitude of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity for everyone. By taking a few minutes before lifting a brush to focus on and breathing these qualities, qualities that we want for ourselves and for the world, we are setting the tone for our artwork. Next, during the time we are drawing and paintings we can keep our minds and hearts open by returning our attention to what we are doing and creating. Even repeating the words of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity can bring our attention back to the kindness we are inviting in and expressing.

Today, as I was working on painting these new sprouts, my focus was on the colors and textures of the new plants with their little hairs along the stems and the delicate veins in their first leaves. I felt peaceful and happy sitting with these new plants. I felt connected to them and wished them well. Actually there was no sense of a me wishing them well, my experience was just awareness of color, light, movement, paintings, looking – essentially just being. I appreciated the amazing ability of a seed to transform into a plant; and a kind of innocent joy in painting and looking and wondering and being welled up inside.

Painting the greenhouse brought my attention to radiant warmth and light. The interior of the greenhouse had a transfused glow that encouraged the plants to grow. It's is a small example of the gentle and kind environment that I wish to grow in. All humans and living beings want to have this type of nurturing environment – we're all equal in that.

So in finishing a painting we can acknowledge that our time painting was a gift to ourselves and others; that many people and things contributed to our painting session by digging minerals for and making paints, and collecting hairs for brushes, and harvesting cotton and making paper, and someone having encouraged us to be creative, and all of that we can acknowledge with gratitude. Not only have we cultivated seeds of kindness in our hearts with this activity but the artwork that was created will be charged up with nourishing energy. Bring mindfulness into your art and everything you do.

Happy painting,

Susan