Two Painters, One Question - The Paintings You Never Show Anyone

What happens when two artists pull out the work they usually keep hidden? Mariel and I recently went Live on Substack to share the art we might never show anyone. The pieces that felt ugly. The ones that did not turn out the way we imagined. The experiments we abandoned and the paintings we simply never finished. And we laughed. A lot. Because once we brought those pieces into the light, they did not feel quite so terrible anymore. They became evidence of curiosity, courage, learning, and being willing to make something without knowing exactly where it would lead. Watch our conversation if you have ever hidden a piece because it was not “good enough,” felt disappointed when your art did not match the picture in your head, or believed unfinished work did not count. You may discover that the art you are judging most harshly has something to teach you. Meet My Co-host, Mariel I was delighted to share this Live with **Mariel Barahona** , the watercolor artist and elementary school teacher behind *My Watercolour Journal*. Mariel shares her art, her process, and quiet reflections on creativity, one brushstroke at a time. During our conversation, she brought such warmth, honesty, and humor as we showed the paintings we usually keep hidden. She helped make this conversation feel like two artist friends laughing, sharing, and reminding each other that every painting does not have to be beautiful or finished to be valuable. If you enjoy watercolor, thoughtful reflections, and a calm place to appreciate creativity and simple beauty, you will love Mariel’s work. Please follow Mariel on Instagram and subscribe to My Watercolour Journal on Substack. She is a lovely artist and human, and I am so grateful she joined me for this Live. And if you are ready to loosen your grip on getting it right and make choices that feel more like you, join me for **Feeling Art**, a live 90-minute masterclass. You will make one piece differently than you normally would, follow an impulse instead of immediately correcting it, and learn how to translate a feeling into color, line, movement, pressure, and space. Learn more and save your seat for Feeling Art. Thank you Faye Scofield, Mona Cattan, and many others for tuning into my live video with My Watercolour Journal! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lynnhardin.substack.com/subscribe