Sometimes it’s the tools to blame and not the talent

This article is brought to you by the Kokomo Family YMCA. EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Our annual Turkey Trot 5K is back, so come run the race before you stuff your face! Join us Nov. 26 to combat those holiday calories while you have fun walking or running our scenic course. The first 100 participants to register will receive a limited-edition Turkey Trot hoodie with the infamous turkey eyes on the hood! Don’t miss out! Register today: https://runsignup.com/kokomofamilymcaturkeytrot5k

Our annual Turkey Trot is a timed, family-friendly race, and every participant receives a T-shirt and medal. Proceeds benefit the Kokomo Family YMCA’s Annual Campaign. This is a great opportunity to get active outdoors and give back to the community by providing opportunities to families and individuals through the YMCA’s annual campaign.

As a person who appreciates so much about the arts, I’m not limited to just one medium. I’ve explored music, painting, and various other things that satisfy my creative habits. I’m a painter, and I know this is my life. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like to continue trying to excel and be good at other things, too.

One of those things is the guitar.

Over time, I’ve found that many things in the arts relate to one another. Years ago, I wanted to achieve a certain blues sound with an electric guitar. I purchased an electric guitar and a couple of amps, but unfortunately, I could never quite find the sound I was looking for.

One day, I was having a conversation with the owner of a music store, and he explained something that changed my understanding. He told me that some of the blues artists who achieved that particular sound were using tube amplifiers. I had been using other types of amps where I could simply turn a dial and adjust the sound. A tube amp operates differently. It has the necessary ingredients inside of it to produce the warm, bluesy sound I had been trying to find.

The same thing happened with painting.

When I first started trying to create watercolor portraits, I couldn’t get the results I wanted. The paintings just didn’t have the realistic quality I was looking for. Then I did some research and discovered Arches 100-percent cotton watercolor paper. Suddenly, I had found the material that could help me achieve the look I had been trying to create.

Between the right paper and the right amplifier, I learned something that applies far beyond art and music: the right materials matter.

Sometimes, we may think we lack the ability to achieve something when, in reality, we simply haven’t discovered the right tools yet.

I believe it’s important to understand what we’re trying to achieve, ask questions, and do our research. Sometimes the answer isn’t that far away. We just have to be willing to look for it.

The right materials can make all the difference.