Terrible, mediocre, fantastic. 

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In a surprise event, our Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado announced an amazing art exhibit comprising Rodin sculptures, Monet,  Renoir, and various other paintings, drawings and sculptures from a private collection. I discovered this in a small news blurb, left my office, and walked down the street to the single-room art gallery in the Fulginitti pavilion.

I spent some time picking my jaw off the floor. Then I took my sketchbook out and begin trying to capture some of what I saw.

Edgar Degas

 

What’s terrible is how infrequently I stop to smell the flowers. What’s mediocre is how poorly I draw. What’s fantastic is putting aside all concerns and focusing on one painting for half an hour.

 

 

Claude Monet

 

A few years ago, I very much enjoyed art exhibits AND I wanted to stretch myself, BUT I was afraid of being criticized, THEREFORE I silenced my inner critic and started sketching.

 

 

See what I mean?

 

What’s important is NOT the finished piece (thank goodness), but the experience of spending quiet time really LOOKING and SEEING and BEING PRESENT. It is incredibly peaceful and rewarding.

CMIO’s take:  Slow down, you move too fast. You’ve got to let the morning last, now …

Let me know if you’ve experienced something like this.

Author: CT Lin

CMIO, UCHealth (Colorado); Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine

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