"There Are No Straight Lines in Nature"

Today in my Japanese brush Painting class we worked on landscapes. It was very difficult (for me), so I just tried to concentrate on painting a tree. During the teacher's demonstration, as he was painting the bridge, water, grass and mountains, he pointed out that we shouldn't look for straight lines. My art history teacher friend, who is also in the class, told me that "there are no straight lines in nature." She added that "when we try to make those straight lines, it is our attempt to take control."

I have never believed in straight lines, but I didn't know why. I think that "straight line thinking" can interfere with our ability to not only see nature as it is, but it also interferes with our ability to see people as they are.

Straight lines blur the lines of diversity. Straight lines limit us and keep us from completely exploring our creative side. Straight lines prevent us from going "out of the box." We should not be defined by "straight line thinking." One of the hardest things for us, as humans, to really know, is that we have no control over anything. Everything is out of our hands. Once we clearly understand that, life becomes much simpler. I was so delighted, once again, to find out how art also reinforces the idea of "no control."

I love my crooked line life, my crooked line friends, my crooked line thoughts and my crooked line ideas. I also love having just a few straight lines every now and then.