All in Creativity
How do you pull yourself out of artistic depression? I knew I had to take myself away. To burn off all resistance and confront my fear. Two weeks in Japan. Yet every morning I’d wake up and wonder why I was putting myself through this test. Was it worth it?
Your artistic children do not belong to you. They are life’s longing for self expression. Letting go of your art creations is important if they are to find new homes. Yet you can be full of anxiety - will they be loved by others as you love them yourself?
Small children find magic all around them. When does that enchantment with the world dissipate? As adults its easy to become busy and disconnected from nature. I have been searching for ways to reignite my enchantment with the world through small daily acts which start a flow of gratitude.
In Julia Cameron’s new book Living the Artist’s Way, she talks about Guidance as the fourth tool in living a creative life. Trusting your intuition is an intangible yet powerful way to journey through life. Trusting the process of creating allows me to feel confident when I am trying new techniques like this free form ink drawing.
Do we truely value what we do? If the answer is no, is this about the ‘tall poppy’ syndrome or living ‘under the radar’ as a woman, to not draw attention to yourself? This undervaluing can translate into how you value your own creations and artworks. What do you choose to exhibit or share?
I continually ask myself about the relevance of art and creativity. Is art relevant and why? I have been trying to understand the nature of duality and finding hope when we witness war. How do we navigate conflict? What role does art in its many forms play in creating the future and changing perceptions?
The old self doubt can creep into your thoughts when you are about to do something a bit scary, a bit out there, or wild and ambitious. It can completely derail all your plans and decisions. I call it “the wobbles”. It’s good to be prepared so you can know what to do when they strike.
Doing a small art piece everyday helps you feel ‘in the flow’. It’s like exercise or music, you need to practise to have a practice. I discovered how rusty I was at making an image using simple drawing techniques. Time to get serious with a daily practice again to regain confidence.
My new drawing experiments I’ve been doing in the wetlands around my house have been totally liberating. I don’t try to draw what I see, I let what I see draw itself. It’s a collaborative process that embraces imperfection. In my books that’s achieving success.
Collaborating with the elements is a great way to make art. Watermarks and shadows, mud and sand all leave patterns that are unique and of the moment. Letting go of control of your images means that the other than human elements can take part in your image making. It all becomes easy and effortless!
