How Painting Changed the Way I Notice the World (Marie Cluff)


Hobbies often subtly influence our daily lives. After developing a passion for cooking, a friend of mine became more attentive to ingredients and where their food comes from. My mom sits outside every morning with her tea because she started birdwatching years ago. Over time, hobbies (often pursued for entertainment, fulfillment, or health) can recondition how we think, act, and move through the world. 


For me, it was painting. I started around seven months ago, and since then, I’ve found that I look at the world differently. My eyes linger just a little longer, noticing the shadows cast by trees, the way light reflects off the windows, and even the cracks in the sidewalk. What once felt ordinary now feels fleeting worth pausing for. In a moment, the sun will move past the window, the shadows change so quickly, and they might fix that sidewalk tomorrow. Instead of just glancing and passing through my surroundings, I now study the environment with undivided attention. I find myself trying to figure out how I would paint the scene.


Nature became less of a background and more of a dynamic presence. When I was practicing realism, I became drawn to small, intricate details. I was so focused on perfecting them in my paintings that I couldn’t help but notice them more in nature. When I started practicing impressionism, my focus shifted toward light patterns, and I began noticing color variations more. The details of nature and its vibrant color had always been there, but I didn’t truly register them, until painting shifted my focus. Switching between realism and impressionism showed me that what I focus on in my personal life directly shapes how I see the world. Painting has helped me slow down and ground myself in the moment, focusing on the subtle elements of the here and now, not thinking about anything else other than how the environment is presenting itself.


Hobbies are more than just learning a new skill, filling our time, or finding a passion; they are a way for us to expand our outlook and reshape how we see the world. Painting can change how we see the environment by training us to observe more attentively and see nature as a subject rather than just background scenery. Paying more attention to the environment has made me care more about it; because it doesn't just fill in my visual field anymore, it's an active point of engagement. In learning how to see more attentively, I’ve also learned how to care more deeply. 


This one I titled Moon River. I painted it after looking at the moon over my house, which reminded me of seeing the moon over a river like this years ago. Oil over acrylic on Canvas.

This one I just call St. Croix because it's inspired by a lagoon I visited while I was traveling the island. Oil on canvas.

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