My He(ART)-Full Life



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

"letters to a young artist"

I am so happy to report that I am finally back in my studio...painting + playing up a storm!!! After our road trip I just couldn't bring myself to go into my studio but these days...I can't stop painting!!! Every free moment I go in there are do some little thing. I have been reading Julia Cameron's Letters to a Young Artist and it gave me a huge kick in the butt to get going. I really needed it:) I still don't know if I had a creative block or was still in vacation mode but whatever the case..I am so happy to be back painting.
A few takeaways from the book that I really want to share (since we all go through periods of creative blocks/procrastination/lollygagging)
* make a schedule + stick to it. Even it's just for 15 mins. a day, set that time aside to write/paint/create and do not (under any circumstances) deviate from it.
* throw out "perfect"...there's no such thing, it's boring anyway and not even desirable
* walk every day
* be willing to make bad art. Nobody creates amazing stuff all the time.
* try out new things. Whether it's a new painting product or a new type of food. So what I did was picked out 5 paint colors I would normally never buy. I am also mixing up colors I usually don't just to see how they pan out. So fun!!
* don't talk away our ideas...this leads to non-action. Be like Nike and...just do it!!!!
* be careful of whom we allow into our space. Some people are toxic and just drain us.
*read read read. She especially recommends artist biographies but anything that inspires will do. It's the stepping outside of our worlds and learning that counts.
* define success on your own terms
*creative blocks are usually the result of too many ideas rather than too few.
* risk + dare
* play!!! Just let go + have fun. I have been playing dress up + dollhouse with Tara...running around in the backyard and just being 3 years old:)
I wasn't really looking for this book BTW...I went to the library last week + it just sort of fell into my hands. I soooooo needed it + there it was!!!. All sorts of synchronicities have been happening to me lately. Feeling crazy blessed.
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Tara has been learning how swim ...and can I just say how much she loves it!!!! She's a little fish in the water. She's so athletic, it amazes me. She must totally get that from Tim:) Happy 4th of July!!!!

4 comments:

deborah from collagewhirl said...

Good for you Soraya! Looking forward to seeing what comes out of this "artplay". Thanks for the twitter follow :)

ArtPropelled said...

Oh I'm glad you are enjoying the book. It is one I was put off buying because of the lacklustre reviews but now I'm considering it again. A lovely inspiring post Soraya!

birds sing artblog said...

ooh, can't wait to see what all this playtime produces! when i make machined cords from scrap fabrics and new yarns,sometimes the colours just make scrumptious combos i need to paint or print with, but would never have put together by design ;) what a lovely adventure it all is!
dee @ birds sing artblog

jane said...

Love all that advice! I might have to go out and buy some new paint! xx