After painting for 5 years, I had more than 250 paintings hung up in every free space of my home. As a minimalist, eventually this became overwhelming. I would walk past my neighbors’ homes lit up at night I’d see a few carefully selected frame pieces of art on a wall and think, “That’s what we used to have – a dozen framed, interesting and eclectic paintings that we cherished for decades.”
Part of me pined for those days when my wife and I created a cozy, warm and normal home with pieces of art we had collected over the decades. I know those days are over, but I still miss them sometimes.
Another part of me was simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of paintings everywhere in my home. It’s hard for me to cherish something when I am inundated.
So last week, I did something about it.
I removed all of the paintings and applied the Marie Kondo method. I kept about 40 of my favorites. I deleted a few to give to friends. I trashed a bunch that were awful. I donated the remainder to a local thrift store that will sell them for $5 each.
For me, there was joy in learning to paint, making something from nothing and seeing evidence of it everyday for years.
There’s also relief for me in letting go of these pieces. I’m enjoying my newly bare, patched and repainted walls.
Currently I have 4 paintings displayed. The rest of my walls are completely bare. In time, I’ll review the paintings I kept and will hang some back on the wall.
I still plan to draw and paint but this next phase will remain in sketchbooks. I won’t be saving every one nor do I plan to mount many on my walls.
It feels great to have a clean, empty house once again.
