How A Commitment Changed Chris Krupinski's Life
There can come a moment in an artist's life where she asks the question, "How do I get really good?"
Watercolorist Chris Krupinski experienced a moment like that, now, some 30 years ago.
"I painted a lot. I drew a lot," says Krupinski. "There was art in my life a lot."
However, Krupinski looked at the work she was creating and realized it wasn't the quality she wanted her work to be.
"I decided I want to be a professional. I want to be good."
That's the moment everything changed. Krupinski set off on the journey that would bring her American Watercolor Society (where she is a Dolphin Fellow) and National Watercolor Society letters and have her become the award winning, sought after instructor that she is today.
But how did she do it?
"I didn't start taking classes or workshops," she says. In fact, her approach was much simpler...and perhaps much harder.
She decided, "I will paint the minimum of two hours a day no matter what."
And she did. Evenings. Weekends. Holidays. Christmas night after the kids went to sleep.
"I didn't care how tired I was," she says. "I had to put my two hours minimum in."
And she did. For over 20 years she showed up every single day. She prioritized art above everything else outside her children. It was a commitment she made and stuck to.
"If it's important enough you find the time."
THE BIG POWER OF BABY STEPS
"It works," says Krupsinki of daily practice, "because the best teacher you can have is yourself."
Krupinski used her two hours of daily painting to work on full paintings.
"I would work on them, put it away, pull it out the next day and work on it."
Daily practice worked for Krupinski because it did several things.
First, it helped keep obstacles small. Challenges came up but they were never really very big because she met them daily.
"I never (face) anything really big because I face it all the time and take baby steps."
Krupinski could build on information she had learned the previous day and keep going. She could ask questions and find the answers in a continuous way.
Second, it kept ideas flowing, and she never faced painter's block.
"As I'm painting, painting ideas are forming in my head," she says.
Third, daily painting means she is constantly thinking about her work.
"You live it," she says, "It's not something that you visit once a week. It's part of your regular lifestyle."
And finally, it gave her permission to try things that may not work and then quit something half way through if it ended up not working after all.
"I know that I've gotten halfway through a painting..that is hours and hours and hours..and I end up never finishing it because it wasn't going where I wanted to. But I know I'm going to be painting again tomorrow. And I know what I've learned from the lost painting."
This comes down to fear. She didn't have to fear mistakes or ruining a painting because she'd be back at it the next day. It meant that she didn't have to be afraid to really try.
"[An] artist should never be afraid to try anything," says Krupinski. "Because if you do, you might be closing your world off."
Check out watercolorist Chris Krupinski's work at her website. And sign up to get notified when episode 2 comes out by adding your name below.
