Book Recommendation - The Artist's Way

The Artist's Way is a book I highly recommend.  I have read it three times so far, and I'm considering starting it again very soon.

I first became aware of the book, The Artist's Way, many, many years ago and it is still as relevant now as it was when it was first published in 1992.  It was written by Julia Cameron with the help and inspiration of Mark Bryan.  Julia has been writing and teaching workshops and classes based on the principles of this book for decades.  Julia and Mark describe this book as "A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self." 

Julia sees everyone as a creative.  She lays out a 12 week program for discovering or recovering one's creative self, with exercises and tools to help get past creative blocks and move forward to living a more creative, fun and fulfilling life.

Your form of creativity may be drawing or painting or any of the arts, it may be singing, writing, acting, gardening, or how you decorate your home. There are so many ways to be creative and Julia's suggestions and tools are helpful for them all.  

Julia considers this book a spiritual path to creativity.  She believes that by connecting with a Greater Source, a Greater Creator, it will help free up your own creativity.  You do not need to believe in a God to have success with the tools in this book.  Just an open mindedness that there is a source of creative energy, outside of yourself, that can help you be more creative.  Here are Julia's basic principles behind the book.

One of the foundations of the book is called Morning Pages.  Julia asks that you journal write three pages, by hand, first thing in the morning when you wake up, before you do anything else.  This is free form, stream of consciousness writing.  Not creative writing.  It's a way of clearing your mind and releasing any critical thoughts, feelings or negativity that may be getting in your way and blocking you from being productive.

Another tool that I highly recommend from the book is the Artist Date.  This is a time you set aside for yourself, to do something you like to do, every week.  You take yourself on a "date." Julia describes it this way: "An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist.  In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against all interlopers."  I love artist dates.  I have done this numerous times and I have to say, so many times I come home feeling so inspired.  

Examples of artist dates are going to the movies, a theatre, a gallery, or a museum; going to the zoo, the botanical gardens, shopping, or a restaurant.  But it is time you spend alone, not shared with friends or family.  

There is so much wisdom shared in this book.  My review is just a taste of all she has to share. Julia shares inspiration, affirmations, personal stories, ideas, exercises and so much more.   I highly recommend taking a look at this book if you are looking to open up to your own creativity.  

On Creative Block - Too Many Ideas

What is the opposite of feeling stuck because of having a lack of ideas and direction?  For me, it's having TOO MANY ideas.  This is how I was feeling this morning.  

I probably spend about half an hour a day, maybe a little more, perusing social media.  I LOVE looking at other artist's artwork. Most times it inspires, but sometimes, I get way overwhelmed.  

From years of being a creative person, I know when I am feeling inspired.  It's like this bright spark or sense of glee that I feel inside, and it let's me know, I want to go play.  But sometimes too many creative practices inspire me and I get overwhelmed.  I want to try them all!  And then I just feel stuck, not sure what direction to move forward towards.  Have you ever felt this way?  

Currently, I am making linocut prints and mono prints of foilage with a gelli press, and collaging artwork incorporating both of these printing methods, as well as creating collage fodder with different methods of using acrylic paint.  I love all of these creative mediums, but I am also attracted to painting, mainly loose, flowing, colorful, abstract painting, AND other types of printing such as silk screening and cyanotype.  I also like beaded jewelry and macrame, and... the list goes on and on. 

For me the answer to dealing with this stuck feeling, first off, is to get off social media.  It is a great tool in many ways.  It helps me stay in touch with people like you, my followers and fans, and I love that.  I have met so many wonderful people from across the globe that I couldn't have otherwise.  But when I start feeling that uncomfortable feeling of overwhelm, it is time to put the ipad down, and do something else. 

Getting outside is quite often the remedy for me, being in nature, taking a walk.  Even better is taking a walk with a friend.  And if your friend is also an artist, talking about the overwhelm and getting another perspective is always helpful.  Or write about how you are feeling.  Writing is a good way to move stuck, blocked energy.  Why, that is what I am doing right now.  I love to write and share ideas.  One last idea is to just start creating something.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  Make it something small.  Make something loose and free.  Just start something.  Play with a new medium.  Draw, sculpt, play music.  Just get the energy moving.

 

So that's what I am off to do right now.  I'm going to take my own advice and take some time to play.  

See you on the other side :)

 

On Creative Block

Since launching my last body of artwork, my print collages, I have been feeling tired and creatively blocked.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to share about this, but I've been feeling a strong urge to write lately, so I thought I would come clean.  

When I released my collages I felt like I had given birth, and in a sense, I had.  All together there were 13 pieces, all new work in a new direction.  And they were very well received.  So far 11 out of the 13 have sold.  That is both rewarding and encouraging.  And humbling.  I really enjoyed making them, and I can feel more are on the way.  But I also felt empty afterward.  Not in a bad way.  But as if I had released a big part of myself into the Universe, and then I needed to step back, and refill my creative well.  And that is what I am up to now.  

 

Another block to my creativity lately is my mental/ emotional state.  I am someone who has dealt with depression on and off my WHOLE life, or what feels like my whole life.  As far as I can remember, since childhood, it has been my norm.  It runs in my family.  I'm not sure if it is biological or a learned way of looking at life, or a combination of both.  I just know it has impacted my life, and I am dealing with it now.  A second year of living through Covid with no end in sight, the state of the world, politics, it can all be overwhelming at times.  I am Covid weary.  As many of us are.  

I think a lot of time what gets in the way of creativity is fear.  Fear of making the first mark.  Fear of needing and wanting the artwork to be perfect, even before we start it.  I am a perfectionist.  I know this one well.  I feel like I am in a grey area right now.   And there is a bit of this fear getting in my way.  I'm not exactly sure where I want to go with the next piece I want to create.  I have a vague idea.  But my vision is foggy.  

What I have been doing and what I am going to continue to do for now is make fodder for collages.  I would describe "fodder" as mixed media patterned papers that are used as bits of a collage.  They help create visual texture and interest in a collage.  I get a great amount of pleasure from making fodder because I get to use different mediums like acrylic paints, markers, metallics, etc., and the process is free form.  I am not creating a recognizable image, just creating random color and patterns on paper.  The freedom of the process is very fun.  Just loose and creative. 

So as I move myself through my creative block, I thought I would share some of my ideas that may be helpful for you too. 

Tools to move through creative blocks:

1. Take a break from social media.  It's so easy to get into feeling not good enough when you scroll past other's images of their creative expressions and get caught up in comparisons. 

2. Do some journaling.  I love to creative write.  But sometimes I just need to spill out what is bothering me on paper, not to share with anyone.  A way of releasing what is emotionally blocking me.

3. Get out in nature.

4. Read or listen to inspirational books, videos, podcasts.

5. Meditate. Pray.  Give yourself some quiet time to explore your internal world.

6. The book, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, is all about moving past creative blocks.

 

7. Julia Cameron suggests taking yourself out on an "Artist's Date", a time when you take yourself out, on your own, to do something you consider to be fun.  Go to a movie, a museum or gallery, to an art supply store, etc.   This is a way of filling your creative well.

7. Just make a mark.  Just start drawing, painting, whatever you like. 

8. Try a new medium.

9. Listen to music and get your body moving.

10.  Talk to friends, family, other artists for support. 

These are just a few ideas that I can think of right now.  I will add more as I think about them.  If you have any you would like to share, I'd love it if you would leave your ideas in the comments. 

Steal Like an Artist - On Art

One of my VERY favorite books about art is "Steal Like an Artist," by Austin Kleon.  He makes many good points about art that I would like to share.  Here are some of my favorites. 

1.  Nothing is original.  All creative work builds on what came before.

Every new idea is just a mashup or remix of one or more previous ideas.

2.  There's an economic theory out there that says if you take the income of your 5 closest friends and average them, the resulting number will be pretty close to your income.  (I heard this theory before in a Mastermind marketing group.)

The same is true of our idea incomes.

3.  Chew on one thinker, one writer, artist, activist, role model, that you really like.  Study everything there is to know about that thinker, artist, writer, etc.  Then find 3 people that thinker loved, and find out everything about them.  Repeat.

4.  Seeing yourself as part of a creative lineage will help you feel less alone as you start making your own art.  I hang pictures of my favorite artists in my studio.

5.  The great thing about dead or remote artists is that they can't refuse you as an apprentice.  You can learn whatever you want from them.  They left their lesson plans in their work.

6.  Carry a notebook and pen, or sketch book and pencil, with you every where you go. 

7.  Keep a swipe file.  A file to keep track of the stuff you've swiped from others.  Keep a scrap book, take photos, etc.  Need some inspiration?  Open up your swipe file.

8.  You're only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with.  In the digital space, that means following the best people online, the people who are smarter than you.  Pay attention to what they are talking about, what they are linking to. 

9.  Harold Ramis says "Find the most talented person in the room, and if it's not you, go stand next to him or her.  Hang out with him or her.  Try to be helpful."

10.  If you ever find you are the most talented person in the room, you need to find another room.  

If any of these thoughts and ideas pique your interest, I would highly recommend reading this book.  It's a quick read, and well worth it. 

Brian Kershisnik's Advice for Artists

This video was published on YouTube on April 22, 2015. It is a casual conversation with the artist, Brian Kershisnik, about

This video is part of filmmaker Steve Olpin's series "The Talking Fly," with music by Kevin MacLeod.