Posts from the ‘For Artists’ Category

Trust the Universe

Trust has been my word for this year.  I have been working steadily over the past year on my photography project, with many months of work remaining.  I will keep working until the project is complete, which has three main phases.  Sometimes it can be very challenging to work on your work each day.  However, this project is really important to me and I have been fortunate to work with shelters and rescue organizations on this project along with countless volunteers have helped me as well.  This body of work, when finished, will be dedicated to our precious Biscuit, who was the inspiration for this work.

What I am learning through this process is that the Universe delivers, you just have to ask — similar to the Zen saying, “leap and the net will appear.”  I initially shared my project idea with the shelters and rescues, and fortunately, they have agreed to work with me to make this project possible.  I have also been fortunate to meet artist friends on this path, which has been invaluable.  For example, my artist friend recently reviewed my work, and gave me some feedback, which is always nice to receive from a trusted confidant, especially when you are working for many months in solitude.  One of the comments I received is that I need more diversity of breeds in my project.  As such, through a recommendation, I contacted several more rescue organizations and I have found two more dog rescue organizations who are going to participate in this project and allow me to include smaller breeds and breeds that I do not already have, enabling me to diversify the breeds included in this project, a goal at the outset of the project.  I asked, trusted, and the Universe delivered.

Another thing that I am learning is that it is important to push through and move further than you think that you can go with your work.  At times, this is terrifying, but I have learned to lean into it to get through it (good advice from a friend) — even though there are some days that are so tedious that I feel like pulling my hair out!  To work on something for an extended period of time takes faith and trust.  Otherwise, I am not sure how I would keep going.

Finally and importantly,  I am learning the more I work and trust the process, the more everything makes sense.  The work is always evolving, and I have to trust that I will end up where I am supposed to be.  (I really like this quote below.)

Happy creating!

Daily Practice: The Timer

I learned this daily practice from writer, Elizabeth Gilbert.  Do you ever feel that you do not have time to do your art or be creative?  Well, it takes is 30 minutes a day with the use of a timer and you can begin to make some progress.  During the day (or evening), you sit down and set the timer for 30 minutes.  You work on your project or craft for 30 minutes without distraction or interruption.  During this time, you just focus on your work, and you do not get up until the timer has gone off.  Then, you continue this daily practice each day moving forward.

Do you have any idea how much you can get done when you focus your attention on something for 30 minutes a day if honored consistently?  Over the long-term, taking daily action and practice, you can make huge progress that otherwise may seem overwhelming.  This practice is not very glamorous, but it is effective.  This practice has helped move my photography project forward (there is still much work to be done), and it really can be applied to any aspect of your life.

So, don’t wait for the world to clear out time and space for your dreams and your art.  It doesn’t happen that way.  Things will never be ‘perfect.’  Thus, get a timer and clear out your own little space for your art.  You will  be amazed what happens — over time, a daily practice soon renders significant results.  Thus far, this practice has been very beneficial to me.

“If you work on something a little bit everyday, you end up with something that is massive.” ~Kenneth Goldsmith

Happy practicing and creating!

Why Make Art?

Why Make Art?

because you feel the need and calling to create

your passion is at the root of creating art

your passion overcomes your fear of uncertainty

you cannot imagine a life not making your art

you feel more alive and fulfilled when you are creating

because, most of all, your art fuels your soul

this is why it is important to follow your passion and share your art with the world

“Don’t cheat the world of your contribution.  Give it what you’ve got.” ~Steven Pressfield

10 Rules for Creative Projects

I was taken with Richard Diebenkorn’s ten rules for beginning a painting — a sort of manifesto that applies in various degrees and various dimensions to just about every creative or intellectual endeavor.

Notes to Myself on Beginning a Painting by Richard Diebenkorn.

1. Attempt what is not certain.  Certainty may or may not come later.  It may then be a valuable delusion.

2. The pretty, initial position which fall short of completeness is not to be valued — except as a stimulus for further moves.

3. Do search.  But in order to find another than what is searched for.

4. Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them completely expendable.

5. Don’t “discover” a subject — of any kind.

6. Somehow don’t be bored but if you must, use it in action.  Use its destructive potential.

7. Mistakes can’t be erased but they move you from your present position.

8. Keep thinking about Pollyanna.

9. Tolerate chaos.

10. Be careful only in a perverse way.

“Biscuit” by Mary Medrano, which we commissioned.  I am sure that we will also have a similar painting of Victory commissioned to be placed next to Biscuit’s painting.

Rejection Letters: Famous People

Can you imagine listening to Madonna and turning her away from your record label and then seeing what became of her career?  Or saying “no thank you” to Andy Warhol as he tried to gift one of his drawings to your museum?  Or saying “no thanks” after listening to a U2 tape submission?  These letters must have been difficult for the artists to receive, but they also must have motivated the artists to keep pushing through, despite the rejection, which is never fun to receive.  It is reassuring that some very famous artists received rejection along the way, but the rejection did not stop them.  Talent, perseverance, and fortitude — seem to be the common threads to artists’ success.  So, keep pushing through, even if it seems impossible!

Source — above images: You can view the Madonna letter here; the Andy Warhol letter here; and the P. Hewson, U2 letter here.