(a page from my art journal)
" I am the dance step of the paintbrush singing. I am the sculpture of the song, the flame breath of words giving new life to paper. Yes, I am the creativity that never dies. I am the creativity that keeps my people alive."- Alexis De Veaux
I recently picked up a copy of Somerset Studio and the entire issue was on creating fearless art! I read every page...cover to cover! It's something I want to do too...be brave in my creating. I suspect that many of us feel that way. It may not be painting particularly but...maybe writing poetry or signing up for a pottery class or...just living a braver life! So I wanted to share a page from my art journal on creating fearless art and...I think all of these can be applied to...well, anything really!
* make mistakes! make tons of them! it's how we learn and hey...some of those "mistakes" turn out to be happy discoveries.
* have courage to work through the "ugly" phase. Sometimes we may feel as if it will never turn out the way we want or we have no idea what we are doing. But...who knows what's waiting at the other end if we just stay the course.
* it is the process that's important. Not every painting is going to work out; some may be quite hideous! But we may have to paint 10 canvases to produce a really amazing one.
*bring your heart into your art! The reason why some artists still speak to us (Van Gogh, Frieda Kahlo, Modigliani...) is because they had the courage to bring all of who they were to their art; their frailness and vulnerabilities...their human-ness.
(my girl Tara...she's fearless in creating!)
* don't remain stagnant, keep on growing! There is so much to learn and experience and...the person I am today is certainly not the same person I was last year.*paint over the good stuff! Don't become too attached to any one part of a painting...sometimes we have to get rid of the stuff we like to make room for the new.
Well, what do you think? Is there more you would like to add to my list? I would love to hear about it!
6 comments:
That's why I love kid's art, because they are fearless in creating. These rules also apply to the art of life, don't you think? Thank you for sharing all of this! It's a terrific reminder. p.s. How are you?
Fabulous post Soraya! I am all about the process ... for me it is about filtering my life through art as a means of enhancing understanding, healing or celebration. Mine is very personal and may not apply to those creating with an eye to selling, but right now that is why I create. Oddly enough, I welcome those moments when my work seems really messed up ... it somehow frees me to play more and very often I then come to something greater than what I could have envisioned. The worst is when i get started and I really like what I am doing and then fall into fear of mucking it up ...
so yes, the messy and mucky is The Best place to be in my experience! (I see this with my girl's work too - I will look over and think "oof! Green stars in the sky? " And of course when she finishes, it is marvelously fresh and alive. Of course green, red and yellow stars in the sky - of course!)
xo Lis
Oh how I want to see myself as truly fearless...in my art, my life, my relationships...it's my path, and I am taking steps...
Terrific post, my brave friend!
Love your post! I'm striving for the same thing. To be fearless and brave. :)
Way to go Soraya, fearless life. What's to wait for? Abandon the need for perfection, mastering 'something', idealizing beauty. Just create!! I find time and again that when I create fearlessly the most beautiful art emerges. I love your post, very important to say these things again and again, to ourselves and others. Love the art you made here, so free, expressive, so happening, so lively.
Haven't visited you for a while, glad I did today. I should visit you often again, cause you make me happy with your words and images and undeniable beauty.
XOXOrly
love this post. i'm getting that mag- i hope it's this months issue. these lessons are the very ones i have learned in doing that challenge i do each summer called "50 songs in 90 days" got me to realize that it's better to create without the expectation that it has to be great. no i realize there IS a reason to go ahead and write that song that isn't quite working. it's leading me to the next one...which might be great. and there might be one line in there that will work somewhere else and be fabulous.
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