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Ever walked into a room and forgot what you went in there for? Of course you have. We all have. But there is a reason why this happens. The doorway you walked through is called an event boundary. Our working memory is limited in its ability to handle large chunks of information, so the work-around is to create a beginning and an ending and, in turn, create smaller segments of information. Working memory updates occur at event boundaries. The event boundaries are relevant to the task at hand, so any activity can be segmented into smaller segments. Boundaries can occur when the action moves to a new place (a doorway to another room, for example), when a new sequence or new activity begins, or when our attention is diverted to something different.
 
As for the door problem, your brain files away the thoughts you had in one room in preparation for a new location and new information. Sometimes, important information is lost along the way. But no, you don't need to avoid doorways. Just retrace your steps into the other room, and you will most likely remember your original intent.
 
Our brain has an upper limit on how much information it can process because there is a limited, but constant, energy supply. And it takes a lot of energy to run the human brain. Even at rest, the brain takes about 20% of our metabolic energy. It's one of the reasons why we notice some things, but not others, and why we can experience inattentional blindness and inattentional deafness. With a limit on the energy supply to the brain, challenging tasks divert energy away from other functions in order to be able to prioritize the focus of our attention. And when inundated with too much information, we are likely to fail to process it all.
 
Feeling a little overwhelmed lately? Well, there are probably numerous reasons why and you don't need to waste your limited energy supply on counting the ways, even though we could easily start with the intrusion of emails, texts, and the ubiquitous presence of Facebook and its ilk. Instead, let's focus on how we can better direct our attention to information that is important. And that brings me to beginnings - specifically, beginnings of paintings. In an August newsletter, I listed my palette and materials and mentioned my aversion to outlines when starting a painting. I have a reason for this.
 
Outline drawing creates an event boundary - a beginning and an ending, an isolated segment of information. Just as a doorway can trigger an event boundary that impairs information retrieval, outlines and hard edges can also impair information integration. We limit the possibility of possibilities. When the task at hand is to isolate objects, it becomes more difficult to incorporate important information that relates to transition, unity, lost and found edges, and the relationship of the parts to the whole. In one misdirected endeavor, we define information based on language (naming the object or objects) and ignore the important elements of visual perception that are reliant on light and shadow, patterns, and the integrity and intent of lines and shapes.

C. Anderson, oil on canvas

Instead of approaching a painting as drawing contours, filling in, modifying, unifying, and then finding or losing edges, why not pay attention to the important stuff at the beginning? Prioritize your focus and start by trying to find the visual information that defines and describes what you are seeing. Look for the 'right' information and disregard the irrelevant.
 
Here are some suggestions:
 
Starting a painting means you need to get some marks on the canvas and begin the process of creating a 'map' of information. You can't paint everything all at once, but you can suggest a direction. Pay attention to the entire space of the canvas and try to maintain balance and unity.
 
Use a brush if possible, or a charcoal stick if the brush seems intimidating. (Lightly dust off any excess charcoal when you are done.) I prefer a size 4 or 6 flat bristle brush for the initial mark-making. It provides a variety of light and dark strokes and also a variety of edge. Use a darker value paint, something relatively neutral in color, and do not use any white paint. (The above painting was done with a mixture of Holbein gold ochre and mineral violet.) Keep your paint dry without additional thinner added. Feel free to wipe off any marks that are not necessary. (For this you may need some thinner but keep the surface as dry as possible. A wet surface limits brush control.)
 
Your beginning, even when done in paint, should resemble a sketchy charcoal drawing. Find the information that's important. Light and shadow defines form, so pay attention to the necessary marks needed for definition. Allow one shape to turn into another and notice how things are connected, not just how they are different.
 
Avoid using unnecessary contours and closed shapes. The beginning of your painting should be a suggestion of possibility, not a coloring book page of predictability.
 
As you add information, simplify by thinking in three values - light, middle, and dark. Concentrate on value first, then start modifying with color. Segment your process into painting and critical thinking. Try to make no more than three or four marks at a time. Look, paint, look, paint.

"If you want to change the way you approach a creative problem, then you need to change what you are thinking about. You need to describe the situation in a new way. That will change what you pull from your memory and the knowledge you use to solve the problem. A key strategy for changing what you think about is to find the essence of the creative problem you're trying to solve. Start by looking at how you described it. Then, see if there is another way to frame that issue and explore where that takes you. Remember that your creative output depends critically on where you start."   Art Markman, "The Danger of Starting in the Same Old Place"

C. Anderson, oil on canvas