Is excessive independence a bad thing? For some reason, this morning I’ve been thinking of my experience going to an art workshop in Spain in September 2024.

The airline lost my suitcase. In that suitcase were all my art supplies – my easel, panels, paints, paint brushes, and, of course, all my clothes. So I was at an art workshop without any art supplies. I could buy some replacement clothes. However, art supplies for oil painting are only available at specialty stores which were not any where near the little Spanish village where the art workshop was held.

So, what did I do? What COULD I do? I was able to find some pencils, and a sketchbook at a little tourist shop, and I decided I’d take photos and do sketches instead of painting.

Now the workshop instructor and all the workshop participants were so kind and eager to help me out. They offered to share their art supplies and equipment with me until my luggage arrived. However, not wanting to inconvenience anyone, I declined their offers. We would go to unbelievably scenic and historical places, and I would take out my phone and sketch pad, take photos, and sketch. Very unsatisfying for me since I’m a very rough sketcher.

One day I decided to accept help, and I borrowed a panel, put paint on a piece of plastic, and a friend loaned me a little cup to hold Gamsol. I painted a small 5×7 painting of sailboats in a harbor, and I loved it! Not great art – but satisfying art. That’s what I could have done every day – but I didn’t. It has taken me over a year to realize that I could’ve handled the situation better. At the time, I didn’t even consider handling it differently than I did. My suitcase wasn’t delivered until the last day of the workshop. So I did part of one other painting when Ron and I were in France on our own after the workshop. But that was all for a week long art workshop in Spain.