Here it is, almost a week into the New Year... I wish I could report that I have been in my studio everyday since the clock struck midnight on the 31st, or that I have been eating well and running a mile everyday, living in a perfectly ordered and measured world of my creation, and fulfilling my wildest dreams.
Yet, instead reality sets in, and hits me like a ton of bricks.
If you have found that your new year's plans have not manifested themselves yet, rest assured you are not alone, but I bet you may be on the right path, even when the obvious markers of this are absent.
I am looking for the small markers to show my progress. I have not been painting yet, but my studio is clean and ready for me when I decide to. I have all the supplies I need. I have solved a small logistics problem, by buying some coveralls at a thrift store- now I don't have to change clothes 2 times a day or ruin my "good" clothes when I paint. I am organizing my music files on my computer and cleaning off my ipod, and have myself a new batch of inspiring tunes loaded up. If you read this blog often enough you know how important music is to my creative process. So these are all small steps in the right direction. What small steps are you taking in the right direction? Please give yourself some credit this year.
Once, I was very stuck in my art and I wrote to one of my dearest friends to share my frustration, and he sent me the perfect note that really helped me change my direction. I keep it tacked to my studio wall and look at it often. Today, I would like to share it with you.
"Action is where it's at for you right now. You are very talented, very creative and have the right ideas and a deep belief about what art can do for you and others. What both of us need to do--right now is lighten up and act. Pretend you're loving it, pretend to yourself that there is no fear. LET GO of the inaction because I know I cling to it sometimes and I think you do as well.
Do not do anything you do not have to do but paint and go do it. If you need to use cheap materials and assume that whatever you end up doing is going to be burned anyway, DO IT. Do a watercolor on the wall of your shower and erase it, do drawings and burn them, but get your hands moving and don't be afraid.
Get away from the couch and distracting responsibilities and start doing some stuff--if it's crap, burn it and if its crap again, burn it, and if it's crap again burn it. Just keep moving."
So, there you have it, and on that note I will put on my "new" coveralls, get away from this computer, climb the stairs to my studio and paint.
See my painting "Flirtation" at Remy Fine Art
720 Garrison Ave. Ft. Smith, Arkansas
Open: T-F 12-5
and by appointment.
"Secrets Revealed" Works by Megan Chapman and
Steve and P.J. Robowski
December 6-January 18th
Thanks for another inspiring post. I also go through the ritual of preparing my workspace and supplies, and I love your friend's note.
ReplyDeleteyeah, that note is very inspiring, and something that i would always adhere to; i have read many interviews & books about artists and how they tackle this 'still' phase; and the only answer is to 'just do' - always do something, whatever it is it is always better than nothing at all.
ReplyDeletegreat post, and friday is now the highlight of the week for me, i really look forward to your posts.
as for music, i can't paint without it, many of my paintings are named after songs..
once when i was stuck, i played 'new dawn fades' on repeat all day whilst i painting something, anything.. the finished painting was in two exhibitions and then sold..
i choose my music by how it makes me feel, this makes a very strange and ecletic taste that other people back away from!
i get very obsessed with music and those who make it.
thankyou for this post, and sorry for wibbling on so much!