There are different ways to approach drawing and painting.

One way is to start in one section, to complete it, and then to move on.

Another is to draw some registration marks, some sketchy lines, some general forms, and then to build up the work slowly.

A third way is similar, but it relates to an overall vision: it’s to complete the work such that it is always in a state of being finished.

It’s a mental shift. Instead of working section by section, or building foundations upon which to grow, the artist works the entire canvas at once. The whole of the work is considered — at the same time — throughout the process.

This approach is not always practical (a builder cannot pour foundations and simultaneously set windows).

But the concept can be useful — to work with an all-over approach, where there’s a continuous sense of completeness.

When you work in this way, you can’t hide behind the phrase, “don't look... it’s not finished.”

For some of us, the opposite idea — the idea of “please look, it’s ready” — could help us to grow in new ways.

Notice what you notice. I first learned this concept from potter Chris Staley. The context was art, and how artists see the world. How we respond. What compels us.

The concept of noticing what you notice is perhaps a cousin of mindfulness. For me, the exercise of stopping to identify what draws my attention helps me to better understand my own perspective in the world, and what is important to me.

I notice when a stranger offers a kind, “Good morning!” I notice when furniture is thoughtfully placed. I notice when a casual acquaintance is happy to talk about himself but asks nothing about me. I notice how pretty the world looks in the convex driver’s side blind-spot mirror of my car. I notice handwriting. I notice eye-contact during conversations.

When you take the time to notice what you notice, everyday experiences can become moments of resonance and valuable introspection.