The grass is always greener on the other side

Around and around we go, dancing with our insatiable desire to have what we do not.

I suppose it is human nature to perpetually want what one does not already have. Are we truly free beings unless we break the cycle of jealous and envy?

 This piece, "The Grass is Greener," began with Eve using watercolors to create her beautiful, earth colored painting with a new technique I showed her. We would take a bottle filled with water and spray the paper gently with a fine mist. When Eve pressed her paintbrush onto the small pools of water she could watch the color seep with a mind of it's own around the paper. It didn't take her long to get the idea and for the last few days it is the only way she has wanted to paint. It is so magical watching the color take on a life of it's own as you give up control to whatever fated design the water has chosen for it.

Here is Eve's original piece.

At first I was hesitant to even paint on it since I had fallen in love with the colors and pattern, but at Eve's insistence I went ahead and began another collaboration. Along with her permission, I found solace in the quickly growing stack of Eve's new paintings created with the technique she had discovered.

I did my best to leave her part as untouched as possible and worked around it as I painted.The earthy colors made me think of those hidden corners of the forest where small creatures live and dance. I pictured a hedgehog running through the grass and found myself wondering if even these small creatures feel the jealousy and envy that we humans struggle with.

Or are they simply happy to be alive and gratefully accept what they are provided?

 The grass is just as green on this side yet will be sure to wilt if I do not tend to what I have if I am too busy yearning for what I do not have.

*As all of our collaborations start, Eve created her own painting and when she decides she is done she will give it to me to continue on. The painting is completely her own with no instruction given from me, I simply use her creativity and our memories to inspire me to create the final piece.

Eve has full say over whether she wants to collaborate and will pick out which piece herself. Our house is filled with Eve's paintings that will never be used in our collaborations and I truly cherish every single one whether it is hers or ours.