A Leadership Skill Is Knowing When To Pause

Posted by Emilia Valerio • 5 months ago

A large canvas divided into 4 oblong sections divided by a thick green line. The top right section is painted a rich burnt orange.

My first panel painted..

A large canvas divided into 4 oblong sections divided by a thick green line. 3 of the sections now painted. Top right is the orange, bottom left a rich fuschia pink and to the right of this, a deep baby blue.

3 sections completed...

A large canvas divided into 4 oblong sections divided by a thick green line. The four sections are now complete with teh final top left painted in a rich forest green

backgrounds completed...

Up close detail on the blue panel, you can see some faint markings on the blue, emulating dots

Roy Lichtenstein style marks/dots on a blue background

a beautiful set of blue, organse and green marks on the pink fuschia background on one of the sections

Adding more textures..

In Session five I explained to the group that I had wanted to be able to develop a painting in a similar style of Pop Art like the Andy Warhol paintings, and that I wanted to push my limits and try something new. I had been very much looking forward to shaping some iconic portraits to explore this style, combining it with my style, the Mona Lisa and The Lady With The Pearl Earring.

However life has thrown lemons in my face these last few weeks. and I made the decision that it was not the right time to bite off more than I can chew. So I put it on pause.

Often when I start on a project, I do it knowing that I have as much time as I want or even need to complete it.  And I don’t just use that time to paint, I use it to express what I’m feeling and be myself.

My leadership  comes from what I learn from pain and other life experiences. It helps me connect with people going through similar things an empathetic style and this is why when i’m working with and for others, I am able to be on their level and know how to help or guide them through things,  having already experienced it for myself and often doing it alone. So I would be able to share that it’s not a failure to pause, but be the responsible thing to do.

So I put this artwork on hold so I can now use the time I have, and the energy to make something smaller and more meaningful within the time I have. This doesn’t mean that I won’t spend time working on it or that I won’t finish it. But rather the time wasn’t and isn’t the right time to work on it and i’m OK with that.