How I Think About Manifesting
Perhaps you have heard about the Law of Attraction and Manifesting from people who want to teach you how to get all the money, notoriety, job titles or whatever else you want. Unfortunately, a lot of folks think that if you use the Law of Attraction you can think about what you want and it will appear. Like a million dollars in your bank account or a fancy new car or a promotion and accompanying pay raise. It’s a very convenient way to justify not doing a whole lot. You can simply wrap your inaction in a shiny package and say the Law of Attraction will take care of it. Things will manifest and arrive on your doorstep just because you want them to and you think about them everyday.
Every once in a while, you get lucky and something unexpected happens and the Law of Attraction gets the credit because, after all, you were thinking about something exactly like this.
Here’s how I like to think about manifesting. At least this is how I think it works for me. Perhaps there is something useful for you in here too.
During the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve I spend some time paging through my paper planner and reviewing what things have happened over the past year. Here is a short list that I jotted down:
52 newsletters written
8 blog posts
2 podcast interviews
28 YouTube videos
2 weekend art fairs
4 group exhibitions
Acceptance into the National Association of Women Artists
Travel to Hawaii, Peru, Machu Picchu, Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands
1 Teen Arts Workshop
1 Award from NAWA at the group show
Over 25 art quilts completed
Over 20 Collages completed
Over 275 visits to my studio(and counting)
Several rejections to submissions and applications
Several creative tangents that didn’t really get much traction
Several art themed outings
These things did not happen because I thought about them. They did not happen because I wished for them. They happened because I got in my studio and worked, made videos and edited them, found opportunities and applied to them. I manifested all the good stuff and the lessons in humility by practicing my creative work, writing out applications, sharing my efforts with people like you and putting my work out for exhibit.
Manifesting, for me, is not a mysterious force from the Universe coming down and giving me what I want. It is the act of catching an inspirational spark and fanning it into a flame. It is the grind of pushing through the production of work once the spark has ignited. Manifesting does not come from somewhere else. Art, opportunities and creative endeavors appear because I have made it a regular practice to look for them and then act on the ones that interest me most.
If you are waiting for something to appear just because you want it, you are letting time pass you by. I believe that taking a look at what you have achieved, created or accomplished over the course of the past year is a great place to start looking as you direct what you want to manifest in your life this coming year. If you were able to manifest all the things on your annual review list, then you are holding proof that you are able to manifest what you want. Now that you have proof that you can manifest things into your life, you can review what actions you took that made these things possible. If you got a promotion, you probably upped your skills and excelled at your job. I doubt you did it sitting on the sofa wishing for it.
I hope you will take some time to clarify exactly what you want. Having a direction is essential to taking action toward achieving what you set out to do. I am taking this week to look at what I have manifested through action last year and what I would like to manifest in the coming year. I already have proof that I can accomplish things I once felt were out of my reach. I believe you can do those things you want to accomplish too. Focus on your habits and how you invest your time and energy. What you want is within your reach when you take it one step at a time.
I wish you a Happy and Fulfilling New Year!
Paying & Collecting
See the World
I would like to use modern day banking as a model for the sake of this blog post. Anyone who has a bank account or investment account understands that when you put money in there, you receive interest. The financial institution gives you money just for entrusting your money with their organization. Some places give you more interest than others depending on the amount of risk you want to take. Personally, I think this sounds like creative output.
For every deposit you make, your value grows and you also gain interest. For every withdrawal you make, your value decreases and you lose potential interest or profit. Simple. Now let’s apply this to our creative endeavors. More importantly to the three resources that make your creative endeavors possible - time, energy, and headspace.
First, let’s address the things that have you paying interest, essentially losing value in your three key resources - time, energy, and headspace.
Time, your most precious non-renewable resource, is stealing value when you work in a disorganized space. Don’t get me wrong, I have made a lot of things on a table that is loaded with a stash of fabric or pile of hand painted papers. What some call a creative mess. What I am referring to is the disorganization that steals your time because you are searching for things and cannot readily find them. The inconveniently placed items or stuff that is located in places where you aren’t planning to use them. If every time you need scissors you have to look under piles of stuff or open five drawers until they appear, that is interest you are paying on your creative time. Consider how you could get this time back.
Energy, what makes your world go around, is renewable. (I hear you fellow science nerds - Yes, it cannot be created or destroyed. As a former physics and chemistry teacher I wholeheartedly agree.) You get a good night’s rest and you are ready to go. We’ve all had the experience of get a terrible night’s sleep or taking a red eye flight home only to be completely exhausted. How productive are you that day? Not taking time to rest and renew is paying interest on your creativity. Having low energy that is self-inflicted (pronounced late night TV binge), is stealing from your energy resources. Here’s another thing that can be a real thief of your energy supply - complaining. When I was working full time, I often came across people who would complain about everything from the weather to world problems. If I could, I would turn and walk away. But, I often watched people join them and go from feeling just fine to being miserable. The act of complaining is a voluntary decision to give away your energy and lower your energetic vibration. I suggest you stay away from complainers. We have all had a bad situation that we want to vent about but, when it’s relentless, it steals your creative energy. Let it go, walk away, write it down and burn it. Do whatever it takes to renew your energy and don’t pay interest on it.
Headspace, is something that is really impacted by what you put in there. Just like complaining, procrastination can be an uninvited visitor to your peace and clarity. You want to go in and paint but, first you should empty the dishwasher, fold the laundry, mow the lawn, paint the kitchen and on and on. You keep thinking about the thing you want to do and find excuses for not doing it. Here’s the real kicker. All the while that you are busying yourself with other tasks, your brain is on repeat and you are never going to enjoy anything else until you stop procrastinating on what you want to get done. I don’t know why we do this. We should on ourselves. Now, if you know that you will have a clearer head once the laundry is folded, go fold it. But if you are using it as an excuse not to go do the creative work, you might want to have a think about why you are stealing joy from yourself.
Personally, I think that my time, energy and headspace are best used on creative tasks first. I can fold the laundry in the evening when I am lower on my energy reserves and don’t want to make any more decisions. I can also unload the dishwasher while dinner is on the stove. I don’t worry that it will never get done. I just try to align a task with what amount of energy and clarity I want to bring to it. I prefer to bring my highest energy, clearest mind and least rushed time to my creative practice. Whenever that time is for you might be something to consider.
If you want quiet time to work on your art, perhaps after the kids are in bed is best. If you are a morning person and you want to write poetry, maybe getting up before everyone else is your best bet.
Now, let’s take a moment to discuss how you can collect interest and gain value to your time, energy and headspace.
First, your time. A non-renewable resource. You can’t make more but you can make the most of what you have. Invest in organizing your work space. Just like you wouldn’t look through your dresser drawers for a spatula, put things where they make the most sense and where you will look for them when you need them. Yes, it will take you some time and energy to organize your space. However, it pays you back in interest of time saved not searching. I would like to add that organizing your time in the day to help you collect interest on your creative work is also important. If you work best at a certain time of day, dedicate that time and reserve some energy and headspace to do your best work. The world wants to see your best work. In fact, that’s why you’re here to add your best to the collective whole. When you do this, you collect interest in the way of inspiration, motivation, self-worth and happiness. Who doesn’t want more of that?
Energy is collected in being fully engaged with doing the thing you love. Time flies by unnoticed and you are renewed by being fully present mind, body and spirit in your creativity. You are not procrastinating on making something, you are engaged in it. You feel the flow or energy. Your headspace is aligned with where you are and what you are doing. That’s what is so rewarding about getting down to it and not making excuses that stop you. We all have things to do, scrolling your phone or bingeing on TV are not helping you gain value and collect interest. Prioritize what you want to accomplish and the other distractions will fall into place, probably on the bottom of the list if they make the to do list at all.
The last thing I want to discuss is your headspace. Call it whatever you want - mindset, inspiration, thoughts, etc. If you want to get in a creative headspace and raise your energy, apply gratitude. Be thankful for the day you have, the time you have, the materials you have and the ideas you have. Rather than think about the material you wish you had or what you consider a time shortage, be grateful for whatever you have. Fifteen minutes - GREAT! Your child’s practice is running late and you have a pencil and sketchbook - GREAT! You can’t justify the expensive paint but, you have some very nice colored pencils - GREAT! Stop looking at what isn’t there and just focus on what you have been given. Appreciate it and every small thing can be just what you needed at this moment.
I hope there was something in this post that makes you stop and think about how you could be happier and more fulfilled. And just to support you here are a couple more posts that might also benefit you.
Here’s an older blog post that might be helpful if you want to organize your studio and collect interest on your time.
Here’s another previous blog post about building a creative mindset.
Long Time
The Myth of Inspiration
As an artist, I am often asked where I find my inspiration. To be fair, I describe myself as a nature inspired artist. But, to be honest, most of my work is not about trees or landscapes or any specific natural phenomenon. However, I find that when I spend time in nature, my creative source is renewed. A hike, trail ride or a trip to the beach all wake up some part of me that comes out as physical art.
The longer I work at this creative process, the more mystical it seems. When I look for inspiration I am rarely successful. Waiting around for it show up is definitely not the answer. So, where do I find inspiration?
A couple of years ago, I probably would have had a different answer. But with the unfolding of recent events, I have received so much clarity about how inspiration works for me. I thought I’d share it with you. It might be helpful if you’ve ever been fully unmotivated and caught in a creative slump.
About 2 months ago, I was living in that slump. Perhaps it was more like a small dip. Either way, I wasn’t really making a lot of progress. So, I decided to just go make something. It didn’t have to be good. It didn’t have to be experimental. I just had to be engaged in creating something that hadn’t existed before.
I picked a color palette, had a very loose plan and reduced the friction of getting started by making the art quilts small and simple. Nothing larger than 24 inches in any direction. Some of them were more like twelve inches or less.
Next thing I knew, I had made eleven of them. I was having fun. And that was all I needed to keep going. I changed color palette and carried on. Another seven were done in about a week. Picked another palette and off I went. Another eight small pieces came together so easily and I was happy with what I saw. Mostly, I was happy with how I felt. Free, loose, joyful and maybe even a little bit productive.
While this body of art quilts was forming, I was also doing my morning practice of starting my day in the studio. It was good to get in there and just draw or collage or mess around before my inner critic was awake. When I heard the voice say things like “What the heck are you doing? Don’t waste time or materials. Blah, blah, blah.” I cleaned up and left the studio.
However, the act of starting my day creatively, primed me to return later and keep going with my little project. Twenty-five pieces later is when inspiration came knocking.
I kept making art without any specific goal and then during my morning practice the voice appeared. Instead of saying “What are you doing?’ It said “So, you’ve been busy and perhaps you could combine the process of your art quilts with this process you’re involved in over here.” It was the voice of inspiration that had replaced my inner critic. It came when I was happy. It came when I was working on my art.
I think that my persistence in the process summoned that inspiration. I certainly would not be on the path I am now if I had avoided my studio and stopped creating altogether. The inspiration showed up after 25 quilts and probably 30 drawings and 30 collages. It showed up because it knew I was serious. And it showed up because I was having fun.
I don’t think it shows up when you’re feeling frustrated or searching for it. It arrives when it knows that you are dedicated to creating something. It shows up because once you put in the effort, it joins you and brings for forces of the Universe along with it.
My advice to you if you are looking for inspiration, GO HAVE FUN. Keep at it and stop tapping your foot waiting for inspiration to show up. Shut the world out and go inside to that place of deep contentment. Once you are there, inspiration will join you. In the meantime, feel free to invite inspiration. Set the stage, clean the studio, prepare the materials, start moving. It is a powerful force. If it came when you weren’t ready you might get bowled over.
In closing, it’s probably not accurate to say that artists find inspiration. We get busy and inspiration finds us. The more you work, the more likely it is to show up and lend a hand. If you are waiting for inspiration to strike, you might be missing the mark.
A Creative Life
Bennett Bean has been alive for 83 years. For most of that time he was been making things. He loves making things - beautiful things, useful things, delicious things and all kinds of things.
Touring his home was absolutely inspiring. Every corner and room was curated in such a way as to create a visual feast. There was art, collected rocks, textiles, one-of-a-kind rugs and so much more. It was full of inspiration and yet, spacious with room to breathe and admire everything.
Each room had comfortable seating and took advantage of the light and view. It made me pause and when I got home, I had a review of some furniture placement. Was I getting the best view from each seat? Was I displaying my work and collections in ways that inspired me? Bennett didn’t put things in specific places to be showy. He placed them where they could be enjoyed in his daily life. If you’ve ever taken something beautiful and put it in a cabinet to save for company, you might want to consider keeping it out and enjoying it. Because even if your company is special, so are you. No one needs permission to enjoy life, but how much you enjoy your home depends a lot on how you choose to curate what you see on a daily basis.
Once we toured the house, we had a look at the grounds. He lives on about four acres. But it felt so much bigger simply because of how it was positioned in the landscape.
Leftover granite from tombstones that Bennett traded for field stones.
Finally, we toured the studio and his office space. It was packed with supplies, finished artwork, unfinished artwork, beginnings and things that had run their course but were still hanging around. I’d like to say it made me want to collect more stuff but, the opposite was true. It made me appreciate all of my art supplies. However, seeing all the unused stuff that he had no plans for made me realize that having more stuff is not the answer to boosting your creativity. Instead, I reinforced for myself that having limited supplies helps you get to the act of creating more quickly. You don’t have to decide what to use from a huge stockpile of unlimited materials. Instead, you get to look at what you have and then discern what materials you want to work with and get going. If I had that much stuff, I’d probably be paralyzed with indecision.
Bennett sharing about a series of clay work that he has a lot of on hand. Unfortunately, it was all made just prior to March 2020 and the big shut down. But, he’s thinking about where to sell it and if you are interested you can reach out to him.
His office has his fabulous artwork, as well as art he has collected. But, it also has a really cool curved ceiling. It’s remarkable in design and captures the view and light so beautifully.
I asked Bennett how long he’s lived here. Fifty years. Which makes sense because he has accumulated a lot of things over that time. I also told him that I was inspired by what a remarkable life he has lived. He said the secret to it was that he found ways to be happy most of the time. Which isn’t the same as having an easy or privileged life. He just chose to be happy. When winter was coming and their home didn’t have a furnace, he didn’t worry. A sale of his work came at just the right moment that he and his wife could buy a furnace. When people told him to follow the art trends, he did. Sometimes it worked out. But, he was so happy making the work that when it didn’t work out, he didn’t hang his happiness on the sales or lack of them. He just enjoyed the process.
There’s something to be said for that. Happiness is, after all, a choice. It isn’t contingent on having everything. In time, maybe fifty years, you’ll have amassed things. The secret I guess is to curate what you keep according to how much joy it brings you to have it. The other side of course, is to let go of things you feel obligated to keep, guilty about throwing away or that drain your energy by filling space that you need to keep open and breathe in.
If you get the chance to see an artist’s studio or perhaps their home, I highly recommend you take the opportunity. The stories he shared and energy of his space were really powerful. The take aways - if you are lucky enough to be creative - you are luckier than many. If you do things that make you happy, you are fortunate. If you do all things in a way that makes you happy, you are wiser than most. Ultimately, your small daily choices are what make a remarkable life.
You can check out his work at his website. My pictures were taken with my phone and don’t do the work true justice. Perhaps you will see something you want to bring into your space there.
Marking Time
Inspired by petrified wood in Arizona
I have a quilt in my studio that reads “The time spent in your studio gets added to the end of your life.” I love that idea. The more time you spend doing things that make you happy, the longer (and more fulfilling) your life will be. It makes sense doesn’t it? The happier we are, the less stressed we feel. The less stress we feel, the better our overall health. The better our health, the longer our life.
Yet, how many times have you said to yourself, I wish I could get into my studio more? Or walk in nature more? Or eat healthier foods more? Or travel more? What is it that you want more of? Because I promise you that if you make the effort and commit the time to doing things that make you happier - you will actually be happier. Who knew?
So this year I started to think about how I could give myself a visual time marker to remind myself of my commitment to creating more happiness. Or at least to my commitment to engaging in activities I love doing. Here is what I came up with.
I wanted to spend more time in my studio. I thought about marking a calendar with an X or a heart each day that I worked in my studio. It didn’t inspire me. I wasn’t going to purchase a special calendar for this practice and it felt like a prisoner awaiting their release would do the same thing. The needle on the happiness meter didn’t move. I thought about what I love. I love color. I love circles. I love collecting things.
I rummaged through the studio and found a very large bag of marbles. Then I found a clear glass vase. Each day when I go into the studio, I take a marble and add it to the vase. It seems simple, but it’s a colorful reminder that sits at the entrance of my studio. In January it was kinda sad to see only a couple marbles. And I traveled for three and a half weeks so no marbles got added. But, now there are a fair amount of marbles in there. And I see that the accumulation of marbles is also an accumulation of time. Not surprisingly, I also have completed eleven pieces of art and have several other ones in process.
Here are some other ways I give myself a reminder of happy things. I have a bowl of stones I’ve collected from various places I’ve travelled. Everything from the red rocks of the American southwest to stones from Watertown, Ireland and everywhere in between. I love looking at them. Travel is one of my favorite things to do and bringing home a rock from different places feels very satisfying. Once my husband complained and I asked him if he’d prefer I bought myself expensive jewelry from every place we travelled. I never heard a complaint about the rocks again. I will say that one rock I wish I had was volcanic rock from Hawaii. But, local lore there is that if you take any volcanic rock off the island, Pele, the Godess of fire will cast bad luck your way. I didn’t take any chances.
Here are some other things I am considering. How do I mark each time I take a hike or spend time in nature? I’m currently looking for a reasonably long stick that is fairly straight and not too skinny. I’m thinking I would paint a ring of color around it each time I return from an adventure out and over time I would have a really colorful reminder of my many walks. Then when I run out of room for paint rings, I get to go on the adventure of finding another really good stick.
I already have an extensive shell collection. It seems that I can’t go the the beach without looking for sea treasure. I would like to find a way to use the abundance of shells for something as a reminder of all my seaside adventures. I’m open to suggestions if you have any.
Last night we had friends over for dinner. I made a simple supper - no standing over the stove for hours. They appreciated the meal and we got to have a really good catch up on each other’s lives. It inspires me to do it again and invite some people who I haven’t had a chance to see in a while. Because friends are the people who make your life happier. I’m not sure how to mark every time I host friends for dinner or brunch or whatever. But I’m thinking about how I could mark the time well spent in some way. Not because I’m competitive, because I am soooo not. But just because the visual record of good times and friendships seems like something worth remembering.
What is it that you love to do? How often do you make the effort and commit the time to doing it? I get it. We’re busy and making another effort can seem like too much. But, I swear that you will be rewarded with more joy. You will thank yourself and have more to be grateful for.
Thanks for being here. Writing is something I enjoy and this blog is a public reminder of my thoughts around creativity. I hope you find a way to remind yourself of your favorite things. I wish you inspiration and happiness in each day.
Inspired by a night hike under a full moon on the Winter Solstice
The Power of Stories
Contemplations Acrylic on Cradle Board 10” X 10”
At my recent art show I had the opportunity to meet and speak with a lot of people. There were a few conversations that really stood out that I wanted to share with you.
A young woman, with a concerned look on her face, was looking at my scarves. These are really lovely scarves. I can say that because I dye them using snow and I don’t control the results. It’s not vanity that I think they are beautiful. It’s preparation and a little magic from mother nature. This woman was carefully looking over my selection and could not decide which one to buy. I asked her if she wanted a mirror so she could look at herself with each one. She looked at me and said she was making this purchase for her mother who was undergoing chemotherapy. Without her saying so, I realized they were to use as a head wrap. I assured her that her thoughtful selection would be appreciated no matter which one she gifted her mother. She made her decision and left both happy and a little sad. In that moment, I realized that what I make matters. If you ever wonder if what you do makes a difference, know that it does. You may never hear about how it made someone’s day happier, but surely when you share your gifts others are grateful.
Late in the day on Sunday I was feeling a little tired and quite frankly, tired of hearing my own voice talking about my work. An older man walked into my booth and really took in my work. He leaned in and made close observation of my textiles and collage. I shared my story and a little about process. And maybe because I was tired of hearing myself, and maybe because he seemed a little lonely I asked him how he was doing. How was he enjoying the show? What was his favorite type of art to look at? He began telling me that he had been visiting the show for over 20 years and he always came with his wife. She had died a few years ago but he still comes to the show. I remarked that walking these aisles must feel like a little visit to memory lane. I hoped that when he came he remembered her fondly because this was something they enjoyed doing together. Then we had a lengthy conversation about life now and how he found something that helps him stay active and social. Pickleball. I’ve been wanting to try pickleball. I am interested because it’s very popular so there must be some fun in it. Giant ping-pong? Baby tennis? I’ve also been hesitant because I am the least competitve person I know. I love to play games but, I have no interest in winning. The enjoyment of playing is enough for me. Would pickleball be an environment where I would be surrounded by people who wanted to win and were poor sports if they didn’t? He assured me that if I gave it a try I would find the right group of people. I thanked him. A while later he stopped in at my booth. He wanted to thank me for the conversation and say he’d be back in December. I asked if he would stop in again and said I would be looking for him. It was so simple. Never underestimate the power of a simple conversation to brighten the day for someone. He certainly brightened mine.
Along with these two encounters, I had the opportunity to see pictures of people’s home and where my artwork was being displayed in them. I got to see collages made by a woman who started creating to help her get through stressful times. I talked about my meditation practice and gratitude journal to people who wanted to talk about these practices. I met someone who is training for a marathon that she will do at the age of 65. The purchases they made, or didn’t make, weren’t the point. After three shows, I felt the connection that was made through the conduit of art.
I make art because I love to make art. The gift is in the process. But now, I am receiving more from the sharing of myself through art. When I take the risk to bare my creative expression, people take a risk to share their story. It’s simple and profound.
If you don’t want to show anyone what you made, that’s your choice. I offer that taking a risk to be vulnerable can lead to surprising encounters.
Contemplations Acrylic on Cradle Board 10” X 10”
Considerations of Selling Your Art
So…. You want to sell your artwork. I’ve been at that for a while now and I have some insight about how to make it work for you rather than the other way around. Here are some (I hope) helpful things to consider if you want to start selling your art or make changes about how you sell your work.
What do you want to sell? Hand made greeting cards, small matted originals, framed originals, sculpture, large originals, custom murals. The possibilities are endless. If you are working on the unused side of the dining room table it will affect what you make and what you are capable of making. If, however, you have your own dedicated space that is reasonably large in size, this will also affect what you are capable of making. So, think about what you love to create and where you make it. This is a good place to start when considering how you could sell your work.
Where are you being seen? Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, the local eatery or coffee shop, local group shows, high end galleries? Where you show your work matters. If you are making 4’ X4’ paintings and you are showing them at the local coffee shop, prepare to have them in your collection for a while. Most people who are ordering a cup of coffee (perhaps pre-ordering on their phone) might really appreciate your work but, aren’t planning to drop a couple thousand dollars when they were coming in for a morning caffeine fix. The contrast is that if you are making works on paper, unmatted, unframed and requiring the purchaser to factor in the framing costs, there is no need for you to start looking at galleries. Not only does what you make matter, but where you show it should be the appropriate fit. Coffee shop= Handmade greeting cards and small items. Galleries=Large paintings, sculptures, well framed and professional presentation of art. There’s a lot of stuff in between. I was in a co-op gallery. It cost money for rent of the space. I gave up commission on each sale and I had to gallery sit a considerable amount of hours. I left because I refocused my personal time and energy budget and decided that I wanted to invest my time and energy elsewhere. I started doing shows and got a lot of time back. But, I still pay booth fees and had to buy my own display system.
Who is your ideal client? Friends, family (this is a limited well to dip into), people with average homes and a small amount of disposable cash, art collectors, art lovers? If you love to photograph horses, then people who own and ride them are your ideal client. If you paint southwestern landscapes, then find shows, galleries, locations, group shows that focus on the region. The people who love the southwest are there - visiting or living there. Put your art in front of them and you have a better chance of selling it. Figure out who wants your work and then figure out where they are and then go there. It’s a simple formula - although not always easy.
What is your capacity for creating your art? Do you have a full-time job and create a little in the evenings or on the weekends? Part-time and more time to be in the creative flow? Full-time artist. Retired. Hobbyist. Professional. I have done a lot of these things. I started while I worked full time. Utilized free time whenever it came along. Took it on as a hobby. Started selling at a small local show. Joined two different co-op galleries, I’ve shared about these in my newsletter and on this blog. Now, I have my own website - self-created and managed, a YouTube channel, do two shows a year and submit to a few group shows a year. It’s plenty for me. I am at my current capacity. Because remember, the important thing is that I have time in my studio to explore, experiment, create and complete artwork. If I am not doing those things, the rest is irrelevant. Take a moment to consider what your time, energy and financial budgets are for your art right now. These factors can change but I recommend you take time to direct your energy instead of thinking you have to do it all.
How does selling art make you feel? Happy, stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, energized? Some people love to get out there and engage with people and talk about their work and share their stories. Others would rather have a gallery owner do it. If you plant on selling your work, I recommend you get very comfortable knowing what your work is about. And get clear on your inspirational story about why you make each piece. What do they represent or express? Getting clear on how your art makes you feel while you make it and when you look at it will help you convey this energy when you talk about it. Conveying this energy to the potential buyer can be the difference between not only a sale and good conversation. It can turn a buyer into a collector.
Whoa! That’s a lot of stuff to think about. It’s only a start though. Once you have a think about your personal reasons for selling or not selling your artwork the answers about what to pursue and what to leave alone will become much more obvious.
I hope this was helpful. If you ever want help with getting clear on your art process, selling your work or changing your creative goals, I do offer extremely reasonable personal coaching sessions. You can read about them by clicking the button below. If the answers to the queries above have helped you clarify it for yourself - that’s awesome and I am glad I could be of service. Have a deeply insightful day!
Snowy Range Acrylic on Canvas
Milemarkers
I have used up all the storage on my phone. Do I buy storage or edit my stuff to keep what truly has meaning? I have decided to go through my phone and delete a lot of stuff. Things that seemed important at the time, stuff that is no longer necessary like my boarding passes and QR codes are all going in the electronic trash.
What I’ve noticed as I go through this process is how many images are milemarkers for remarkable events in my life. The birth of our grandsons. The 7-person pyramid on a high wire led by Nik Wallenda was spectacular. Important events in the lives of people we love. It’s all in there. And what I have come to realize is that some images are just that, images. But, some images are a record of milemarkers in our lives.
I had a milemarker day in Hawaii. We kept postponing our snorkel trip because of the Pineapple Express weather pattern that was making the seas unusually active. On our last day we finally had a chance to do some snorkeling in Molokini Crater. It is a volcanic crater that has been partially eroded so you can enter the semi-circle on one side. It was beautiful. But, what makes it a milemarker for me is that at the end of the trip the boat captain drove around to the back of the crater in what is called the Deep Blue.
The color of the water is an indescribable blue. It’s about 225 feet deep so you can’t see the bottom. The light from the sun and the quality of the water itself is breathtaking. I felt like I was on another planet. It was a floating, diving, immersive experience. I was without words.
We were staying with friends and one of them is, well there’s only one way to put it, obsessed with the color blue. He tricked out his car with blue lights, his porch has a blue light, he has surrounded himself with attempts to recreate the color of the deep blue. Finally, after knowing him for years, I got it. There’s so many colors out there but, then there’s BLUE.
The experience of floating in the Deep Blue is magical. If you’ve had the chance to do it, you know what I mean. It has been added to the list of many of my life’s milemarkers as a remarkable experience.
I highly recommend having a wander through your images. Take note of the ones that take your breath away. The significant people, events and experiences of your life. They are not milestones - stationary objects that you pass, such as a specific birthday. They are milemarkers. They mark a time that you were forever changed.
The Year in Review
Mysterious Forces
You can pick any day to look back and see what you did over the course of a year but, the start of a new calendar year seems like as good a time as any. It’s when I take some time to reflect on what I have accomplished and then figure out where I’d like to go. It’s not as much as a New Year’s resolution as it is an annual performance assessment. But when you are your own boss, you have to do it yourself or decide to wander aimlessly.
Here are a few questions that I find useful and if you find them (or your own version of them) useful, I hope you will take the time to sit down and have a think about them.
What went well for me this year? What did I consider wins? What felt really good to do (or not do)?
What made these things possible? (Risks, boundaries, problem solving, commitment, focus)
Which of these things do I want to continue? Which of these things have served their purpose and I am ready to move on?
What do I want to explore, add or experiment with this coming year?
What would I have to do to make these possible?
Personally, I had a few wins this year. First, I committed to this newsletter and it arrived every week for the entire year. Each week I had content in the form of a blog post, YouTube video, new work, or (hopefully) inspiring content. I also increased the number of shows I did from one to two. Sounds like a small jump but, this year I am considering making it three. Rather than overwhelming myself, I’m adding (and subtracting) things in small increments. I know that if I overcommit, I might burn out. Slow growth will lead me to the tipping point of my capacity without leaving me exhausted and creatively blocked.
To make these things happen took commitment, organization, systematizing tasks, time management and risking rejection from submitting to bigger shows. For now, I am comfortable with one weekly newsletter and looking at three shows. But creativity dies in the comfort zone, so next year I will be looking at adding some things. I’m not ready to drop the newsletter, the videos or blog posts. But I am ready to explore new creative projects in my studio. I’m lining up some ideas and will see where they take me.
As far as exploring and experimenting, I have a lot of old work that I no longer like. Some will get tossed. Others will get reworked and still others will get sanded down, gessoed and painted over. I want to explore a different style of collage and I plan to purchase as few supplies as possible in order to give myself some boundaries. We’ll see where it takes me - and honestly, I’m excited to find out.
In order to make room for the new experiments and ideas, I have been decluttering my house, mind and schedule. It’s amazing how clearing out a drawer, closet or unused item brings in space for creative output. I also have cleared, as much as possible, my time spent doing things or being with people who drain my energy. This leaves me with a lot more time and energy to delve into my own interests and spend time with people who energize and uplift me.
I realize I have answered these questions relative to my art practice. However, they suit just about any aspect of your life. I hope they inspire you to reflect on what has been serving you well and ditch what has been an unnecessary drain on your time, energy and attention. It takes awareness and a mindful review. Only then, with a bit of discernment, can you make the upcoming year a time you are moving into with an energized commitment.
Snowy Range Acrylic on Canvas
The Danger of Selling Your Art
Effervescent 16” X 16” Acrylic on Cradle Board
The dangers in selling your work are many. My top ones are:
What if no one likes it? (If you are going to get offended if people don’t resonate with your work, you should really, really consider a different line of work. No art or artist is loved by everyone.)
What if it doesn’t sell? (If I stopped creating when my first few pieces didn’t sell right away, well, let’s just say I would have gone back to sewing my clothes and would have donated all my paint.)
What if people think it’s too expensive? (They aren’t your people. There’s a sweet spot where your art resonates and your price is within reach. Lowering your price or chasing the sale is what makes people think artists are starving and will take lower amounts of payment for their work. If you have to make sales to pay the rent or feed yourself - find what works and do that on repeat.)
Here are a couple examples of how selling your work can be a detriment to your personal growth and evolution.
I know an artist who began creating art with the primary intention of selling her work. The season of exploration was short, less than a year. Her work was fine. It had nice colors and she was able to sell small pieces shortly after she started putting it up in shops.
Fast forward about five years and I had the opportunity to see the work she was creating now. It’s remarkably similar, if not exactly the same as it was when she began selling it. I didn’t ask if there was still a market for it. I asked if she was still in love with the process of making it. The answer was a response you might get from a politician. Not a direct answer, rather a change of subject.
I had a ponder on that interaction. After all, my goal as an artist is to continually evolve, grow, explore and improve. So, is it just that she has found something she likes to do and is happy to repeat it? Are the sales the driving force behind her work? Has she found her destination and is not looking to explore any new mediums, methods or colors? I don’t know her answer to any of these questions. I only know what my own creative intentions are.
Another quick story about chasing sales comes to mind. When I started making art, I didn’t think it was very good. I had good instincts on that point. But, it got better and people who saw it wanted to purchase it before I even considered selling it. That went a long way with building my confidence to start exhibiting my work.
With some encouragement, I found a local co-op of artists and submitted my work to the jury. I was thrilled to be invited to join the gallery. I could hang anything I wanted and set the price. I learned how to curate and exhibit my work and I made some very nice sales. Then, after a few months, the gallery owner began encouraging me to make work that he thought people would buy. There’s a yoga studio across the street - paint some Buddhas. There’s a dance event coming - learn to paint ballerinas.
At the time this didn’t feel like pressure, but very quickly it caused me to freeze up. I avoided my studio. I stopped exploring. And when I realized that all of the joy that I felt be going into my studio and creating was being drained by the simple idea that whatever I made had to sell. I left the gallery and spent the next several months getting my confidence back.
The very place that caused me to muster my courage to even submit my work, had broken my confidence to even make work in the first place. Thankfully, I didn’t quit creating all together. I just recognized that I was letting external voices into my head and replaying the comments.
If you want to sell your art, my advice is to consider why you want to sell it. I started selling my work when I had learned enough (read - failed enough) to start making better art. I don’t think about selling it while I’m making it. Often I’m not sure it will even turn out and be something I would consider showing to anyone. I also have stopped attaching value to the number of sales I get. Obviously I’d love to exhibit my work and have every piece sell. Who wouldn’t? But at least now when I put something out in the world and say this is the best I can do right now, I’m happy with myself. The act of creating something that only I could do buoys me up and helps me return again and again to the process.
If it sells, great! I welcome an exchange of my creative energy for your financial energy. If it doesn’t sell right away, I know that I had the joy of making it and I learned something. I solved problems and resolved design issues. The piece that never sells is just a step on the long path that leads my work forward. The destination? I’m not sure. The discovery is what brings me back - not the money.
Fountain of Youth 16” X 16” Acrylic on Cradle Board
Finding the Time for Inspiration
I’ve just returned from Nova Scotia and my head is full of ideas. One thing that truly inspires me is travel. I try to fit in some travel as often as possible. It can be an overnight, a week, or a few weeks but, getting away from home and seeing new places definitely gets my creative juices flowing. I take notes on my phone about artists’ work I see and their websites that I want to explore when I get home. I try to find local foods that I’ve never had before. I have taken on the habit of wearing a baseball cap instead of sunglasses so I can experience the true color of the environment. This often inspires me to try new colors and color palettes.
Another thing I do almost everywhere I go is pick up stones that I find interesting. Sometimes it’s because of the shape but, more often it’s because I want an accurate representation of the colors in the landscape. The painting at the top of this blog post was inspired by pieces of petrified wood that I collected, legally, just outside of Petrified Forest National Park. The colors of those small bits of rock led me to create an entire series of paintings and then some collages. Those half a dozen stones were creative fodder for probably six months.
I also notice that I am very curious about little things in general. If there’s a food I haven’t tried, I’ll get some and look up how to cook or prepare it. I like to try new recipes too, Pinterest is great for that. If I see textiles that I find intriguing, I will buy some to play with and see how they go with my stash at home. It’s about finding new things and then seeing how they connect or disrupt your ideas about art.
I think it all boils down to differences. I am endlessly curious about new places and the surprises I find there. I will go in small shops just to see what local craft items or kitschy souvenirs are in there. I don’t usually buy them - after all, my suitcase is already full of stones! But just seeing things I’ve never seen before can get my mind working.
What inspires you? If you are creating anything from food, art, music or writings, what makes you get motivated to keep at it? Finally, when was the last time you took the opportunity to feed your inspiration? We are all pressed for time and fitting in time for curiosity can just be something you put on your to do list - that just doesn’t get crossed off because it’s not a priority. I get it. The laundry, errands, dinner and family obligations are important. But what can you let go of to make time to fuel your curiosity and creativity?
Here’s how I did it. I started playing guitar at the age of seventeen. I played for 30 years. I was good. I wasn’t great but, I could keep up and I liked playing. I earned the skills like every musician. Practice. But, practice takes time and I realized that I was playing other people’s music. I wasn’t writing music. I wasn’t creating songs - although I was riffing around a bit and on occasion I would play with other people. I had a few public shows. But I wasn’t creating music. I was repeating what had already been done.
I took stock in what role I wanted music to play in my life. I wanted to continue to appreciate the work of people who were born with the music inside of them and fulfilled their purpose by letting it out for the rest of us. You know it when you see it. The look of utter joy on their face as they sing, play, collaborate and perform. It’s their magic and we get to enjoy it. I wasn’t born with that. I was just playing around because it was fun. But, I wasn’t driven to write song lyrics or chord progressions. Instead, I decided that I wanted to create visual art. The only way I could do that was to either invent more time - which seemed a bit daunting. Or I could let go of playing guitar and free up that time to explore art quilts. Which led to collage and then to painting.
When I tell you that you have more time than you think to explore your creative pursuits, you may resist. However, if you look at how you spend your time and look for ways to invest in your curiosity and creativity, the time will appear. But, you might have to let go of something that is not serving your creative spirit. It might only be 15 minute bursts. I started with 20 minutes after the kids went to bed - now my kids are in their 30s. I have amassed a lot of creative output and learned a lot in short burst that have gotten longer as life permitted.
If you are wondering how to do it - examine your time. If you want help, I do personal coaching which you can find at the button below. Either way, I hope you find the opportunity to feed your curiosity and have more fulfilling days.
Thank you for being here. I hope that you find the time to bring into the world the thing inside of you that is waiting to be released. You deserve the happiness and we deserve to receive your gifts. Making art is not selfish - keeping your talents to yourself - that’s unfair to the rest of us.
Canyon Walls Acrylic on cradle Panel 12” X 12” X 1.5” in Solid Maple Floater Frame
Flickers & Flames
Suspended 6” X 6” X 2”
There are moments of awareness that can create small sparks of creativity. The colors of a sunset, the luster of a textile, something you see in random places can all serve as tiny sparks that ignite your imagination. These sparks with a little added energy can really fuel your creativity and lead you to a lot of exploration and experimentation.
The last time I had a spark like this was when I was exploring some ideas in a sketchbook and it led me to a series of work that allowed me to play in my studio for months. I fanned the little ember until it grew into a flame.
Over the decades of creating art, I have learned the value of small sparks. I have also learned the value of a controlled flame. By controlled flame, I do not mean controlling the outcome of my artwork. I mean using my time and energy (fuel) in a sustainable way.
In order for me to sustain my art practice, I need a few things. I need to be sleeping well. I need to be eating healthy. And I need to be balancing my time in the studio with my time outdoors, exercising and moving. When I sit, I stagnate. When I move, everything in me flows.
The other way of working is by starting with a flame. Some people find this useful. I do not. When I start with a flame, you have to keep it fueled. You have to continuously add energy to sustain it. It’s easy for the flame to grow. The larger and larger the flame becomes, the more fuel it burns. The more energy expended to keep it going. The problem I see with the growing flame is that it can become a bonfire.
If you have endless energy and infinite time, you can work like this. I have neither of these resources. And so, I manage my health, rest and movement. I create in a way that I can sustain the small flame and keep it lit. If the flame becomes too large, I run out of fuel and I burnout.
Neither way is better than the other. I am only sharing what I have discovered about myself over the past 25 years. I have noticed, explored and gotten out of my system many little flickers. Every now and again one of them grows into a flame and I protect that flame. I fuel that flame and keep it going. However, as I gain more experience, I avoid the bonfire. It seems really exciting but it takes a lot of energy to keep going. I think the reason I have been making art for so long is that I look for flickers.
Flickers are everywhere and if you miss one, another will come along. If you are constantly looking for bonfires, you will miss the sparks of inspiration. Look closely. Be open to small wonders. Explore the little idea that you think might be interesting. It often is. Starting small let’s you build. Trying to take on too much makes you overwhelmed.
Celestial 6” X 6” X 1.5” in black floater frame
Art that Matches the Sofa
I know a woman, Claire, who’s sister, Marie, was an avid art collector. Nothing over the top - no Picassos or Rembrandts in Marie’s collection but, some very nice original art. Upon Marie’s death, the siblings came to sort out the house and deal with the usual possessions that anyone would have in their home. Wanting to having something to remember her sister by, Claire took home one of the paintings from the collection.
When I saw the piece of art in Claire’s home, I remarked that I had never seen it before. She proceeded to tell me that it was from her sister’s collection. There was a piece of art that she liked a lot more than the one she brought home and she really wanted to have that piece instead but….. It didn’t match the sofa, or the furnishings or the color scheme of the place she wanted to hang it.
This made me sad for her. After all, this was to be a remembrance of her sister and she wanted one that was abstract yet, made her think of an angel but, instead she settled for one that matched the couch. It didn’t move her, it served a function. It decorated a wall and she filled the obligation of remembering her sibling.
I encouraged her to see if the other piece was still available for her. She could put it somewhere else, she could replace the one that was a place holder. She didn’t have to match the sofa. She could see it and remember her sister in a way that made her happy, rather than out of obligation. But the deed was done and the painting had been donated.
Have you ever done this? Really wanted something that was easy to have or well within your budget and talked yourself out of it for some practical reason. I don’t need it. Where would I put it? It seems frivolous. Or the dreaded - I don’t deserve it.
And then you think about it over and over again and the opportunity is missed. I did this once with a bracelet. We were traveling through Native American Reservation country and a silver artist had a beautiful bracelet for sale at his somewhat ramshackle roadside shop. It was perfect and I loved it. And I didn’t buy it. We never traveled that road again and I still lament not having bought it. It wasn’t even very expensive. Instead I bought a less expensive one at a shop in town and I have barely worn it. It was the answer to my regret of not buying the lovely one on the road. The difference in price was something like $20. Fifteen years later, as I write this post, it still bugs me.
This post is to remind you that you deserve to surround yourself with things that make you happy. They don’t have to be expensive - the free artwork for example. Buying art to match the house is fine if everything in the house is authentic to your taste. But you don’t have to make excuses about buying what you like. You don’t have to justify it to anybody but yourself. You don’t have to color coordinate art with your room. In fact, if the colors of the art are the same as the furniture you will barely notice the artwork.
What would make you truly happy? A tube of paint? A bouquet of flowers? An ice cream sundae? A walk on a woodland trail? Stop talking yourself out of it. You deserve to be happy. Every time you deny yourself a little happiness, you fill the space of regret with something else that doesn’t make you so happy. There’s no place for that in a creative life. There’s no place for that in any life. Living life in way that matches the sofa doesn’t make anything you experience stand out. You deserve to stand out because YOU ARE OUTSTANDING.
Thanks for being here and sharing your gifts with the world. Remember that the Universe has a lot to share with you and wants you to be happy. Really happy.
Change the Soundtrack
There are a lot of things that cross our minds when we think about our creativity. Unfortunately, a lot of them are not helpful to the process of actually creating something. Do any of these statements ring a familiar bell for you?
I don’t have the time to create.
I don’t have any new ideas - it’s all been done.
My art supplies are not very good.
I wish my painting, drawing or design skills were stronger.
Why bother painting, I’m not any good.
Nobody will like what I make.
I’ll never be as good as….
The more you run these ideas through your head, the more you start to actually believe them. When we put them on a repeat loop, any beliefs that are not helping us feel free to create become roadblocks that stop us dead in our tracks.
Do you have any of these rattling around in your head? Think about it. What do you tell yourself that has you procrastinating to get into your creative space? Every time you repeat the negative idea you push it farther and farther into your belief system. In time, you will stop creating because you believe you can’t.
A belief is simply a thought you repeat over and over. By changing what you are repeating to yourself you can free up your creativity and remove the blocks that are stopping you.
For example, if you think you don’t have time, what if you told yourself that you have 15 minutes each day to do something creative. Think your ideas aren’t unique enough? Remind yourself that portraits, landscapes, abstracts and still life has been the unlimited fodder for artists since people used rock to draw on cave walls. Not painting because you aren’t any good? Add the word yet. Not as good as you want to be yet. The only way to get better is to paint or sculpt or draw. As far as hanging your hat on whether or not people like what you make, ask yourself why you make it. If you enjoy the passage of time as you are in the creative flow, then it really doesn’t matter if anyone else likes it. What matters is that you are immersing yourself in play and growth and joy.
The key to making forward progress with your creative practice is to show up and change what you tell yourself on repeat. I used to stop myself midway through paintings because they looked just awful. Now, I just tell myself that they have potential and I know they will resolve themselves. I don’t worry about if people will like them. Many people won’t. If they want hyper-realistic representation they won’t like my abstracts. If they want portraits or vases of flowers, they will walk right by without a second glance. The only thing that matters to me is that I like them. When I do really fall in love with my artwork it feels so good inside. The magic comes when you believe that you can make something you love. If you keep coming up with reasons to stop creating, you kill the magic. Change your internal soundtrack and bring fun into your work. Once you are having fun the rest doesn’t matter. The reality is that when you make creating fun, it shows in the work and it lights the magic.
Review what you tell yourself that stops your progress. Is it true? Can you change how you think about it? Because once you believe something else, it can unlock the magic and joy inside of you.
7 Mindset Tools to Help Boost Your Creativity
Sentinel Collage #7 11” X 14” with mat
Being an artist is a lot more than putting paint on a surface. It’s a mindset as well as a skillset. There are some very useful things you can do to grow your skillset, not the least of which is to practice. I don’t think that’s any big news. Paint more, draw more, build more, stitch more and you will become better. The thing that separates the good artists from the great ones is their ability to do certain things that many of us struggle with.
First, art requires us to embrace uncertainty. The blank canvas, blank page, empty design wall stops a lot of people. What if it doesn’t turn out well? Here’s a little secret, no one else cares how it turns out - except you! Artists don’t worry so much about what other people think and they get started having no idea where a piece of art might go. It separates us from the planners and worriers. We get started because we want to make something. We’ll know when it’s done so we don’t think about the final product until the end.
Artists also don’t think of creating art as a moment of completion. When we take a photograph, everything in the picture is there at the same time. When we paint a painting, stitch an art quilt, draw a sketch or throw a pot on the wheel the piece evolves over time. Some paintings take months. Some pots get smashed and redone over and over. It isn’t a moment. The art has history. Even a photographer will understand that a picture that captures a moment actually has a story attached to it that compresses time into a final piece of work. So, artists accept that it takes time and the time it takes is what give the art its history.
Artists also have to be able to let go of stuff. There are people who accumulate things. Clothes, shoes, art supplies, and so on. They sometimes have trouble getting rid of things for a myriad of reasons. Everything from I paid money for that to it was my first set of paints to what if I need it again someday has them holding on to stuff. I’m not suggesting you throw away your art supplies. But in a painting or piece of art there will be things that look great and parts that are less helpful to the success of the overall piece of art. Artists know that they have to paint over it, cut it away, get rid of it or start over - even if they already spent a lot of time on something. Artists have to discern what’s worth keeping and what isn’t. Then it’s a matter of reducing the artwork down to the key things it needs. The rest gets tossed - even if it cost money, took time or you really liked it.
Another tool in the artist mindset is the ability to change their mind. Many times what we set out to do just isn’t working. Unlike many things in life, you can’t force it. Here is an example of a piece that I really, really wanted to be a landscape. It just wasn’t having it and it told me in no uncertain terms. I could have made it a mediocre at best landscape. But instead, I made this. I believe it to be better. If I was stubborn, this would have been a lousy landscape.
The habit that allows artists to create is a very simple, but easy one. Show up. Even when you are busy, tired, don’t know what to make, and on and on. Artists show up and give it their best effort on a regular basis. Which is why if you haven’t been able to get back to your painting, writing or creative endeavor, it’s likely you’ve been away from it. Show up for fifteen minutes and see how it goes. Then a half hour. And stay as long as it’s productive. But, if you tell yourself you don’t feel like it, you perpetuate the habit of not showing up. Artists can’t think like this if they ever want to get better. This carries over into every other aspect of life, in my opinion. Take a walk for fifteen minutes, read a book for fifteen minutes, prepare healthy food rather than processed food. What you show up for improves. Decide what you want and then show up for it.
Artists are generally willing to confront things that are a problem. This is not to say that we are a confrontational lot. In fact, I think we are as adverse to picking a fight as anybody else. But, if something isn’t working in a painting, novel or poem we see that there’s a problem and we want to fix it. Which might mean we paint over it, edit out a lot of what we wrote, smash the clay or whatever it takes to resolve the problem. In general, as artists we are actually just creating problems and then going about solving them. But we aren’t afraid to confront the problem. If you are fearful of confronting your painting, you will have a hard time showing up.
Along with confronting problems, artists also have to believe that they can resolve a problem. Making art is an open ended problem. There are many options about what you could do. In fact, having too many option can be the problem itself. Thus the need to reduce and let go of the things you don’t need. So the mindset of the artist is the belief that you have the ability to solve problems. We all know someone who throws their hands up in the air whenever the littlest setback arises. We don’t generally ask them for help when we are in a pickle. By taking time, showing up, confronting what we think is the problem with our artwork, accepting that there are infinite options and then believing that we can make a decision and move the art forward we grow a creative mindset.
If any of these habits resonates with you - Great! If any of them push your buttons, they may be keeping you from making really great things. I hope you will have a review of your creative practice and see if there are any ways you can reduce the obstacles and make the creative effort more effortless.
Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. I’d love to hear from you. Until next time, have an inspired day and show up for something that really matters to you.
with gratitude,
Claude
Sentinel Collage #11 11”X14” with mat
Studio Hygge
I’ve recently read a book written by the CEO of the Happiness Institute in Denmark. There’s a nice job title! He works at finding out what makes people happy and then reporting how Denmark stacks up against other countries in the area of overall life satisfaction. I found it both an easy read and an eye-opener about the things in my own life that could use some happiness adrenaline. I also noticed how many things I already do that contribute to my level of happiness and life satisfaction.
The term used in Dutch is Hygge (Hoo ga). Loosely translated it is the people and things in your environment that create a feeling of comfort, belonging, calmness and sensory pleasure. Of course, the examples in the book are specific to a Nordic country where it is cold most of the time so, if you are reading this from a warm climate these will not resonate. With a little reflection, I’m sure you can find the things that bring you hygge, or you would like to have to increase your happiness.
So according to the book, there are certain things embraced by the Danes that are high in hygge. Here are the top 10.
I took a look at my own studio and took note of the ways things are arranged and what is purposely included and excluded to make my studio a place where I enjoy working. For me, it goes without saying that creating art is a major factor in my life that contributes to my well-being, life satisfaction and creative joy. I bet you feel that way when you are making art too.
Candles are popular in Denmark but, with my collection of fabric and paper, I don’t embrace the idea of an open flame in my work space. I also don’t want soot from the flames collecting on any surfaces. I do however have a diffuser and a few favorite essential oils that I use in the space. My studio is in the basement of my house and there is no fireplace. I have my own heating zone and I like it cozy. But rather than warmth from a fire, I have some favorite clothes that bring me a warmth coziness while I work. The sweater is old and has paint spatters on it. It’s stretched out in all the right places. The sweatshirt is pretty old too and has more paint spatters on it and it is tattered at the sleeves. I love it because not only is it warm, it keeps me from getting paint on even more of my clothes. My apron makes me serious about making my art. It signals me to get painting and let loose. I also have some comfy paint stained pants.
My phone is generally on silent and I use it as an alarm if I need to be somewhere. It provides music when I am tidying up but, I keep its use at a minimum in the studio. As for the pleasures of my studio, I have a little tea pot that makes two cups of tea and I will often steep up some Cinnamon Rooibos or Lemon Ginger Tea to take along. That little teapot is also something that signals studio time for me. I use it for other times too, but when I bring it down to the studio I know I’m going to be there a while and that makes me happy.
I am thankful for my studio every day. Even when I don’t get to spend much time in there. It’s where I begin my day with meditative collage or sketching. The gratitude I feel for being fortunate enough to have a space all to myself filled with supplies is a source of true joy.
I think creating art is the epitome of harmony. Do the colors play well together? The shapes? Is the piece balanced and harmonized are all things we ask ourselves about our art. But I believe the real power of being creative is that you are so engaged in what you are doing that you have no interest or head space to think about what other people are doing. You are in harmony with your ideas, intuition and materials. Time is irrelevant. So are politics, drama, and nonsense that have nothing to do with your well-being. It’s a mental truce for your thoughts. You and the materials playing with unlimited possibilities.
The togetherness aspect of hygge can be pretty limited in the studio. However, most of the time when I seek out the company of others, or share what I am doing in my studio I choose carefully and spend time with people I find uplifting and supportive. Occasionally, I spend time with people who do not draw these feelings out of me and I get emotionally exhausted. I find that a little time in the studio can be very restorative. I guess my togetherness factor includes spending time with my textiles, paints, surfaces and tools.
My studio is a proverbial shelter for my creative spirit. It is a place to expend my energy among materials I love and to share the results with people I trust. It’s a safe place to make mistakes, learn and grow without judgement. It’s different than the other spaces in my life. I don’t have to curate my thoughts to meet any agenda but my own. I have friends that I am comfortable with that I can also be honest with at all times. I think that’s a huge boost for your happiness. I’m sure you have go-to people you call when you want a calm, casual, relaxing get together.
Your local library surely has a copy of this book, or one similar. It’s an easy read and probably an even easier audio book for your commute. It reinforced some things that I was already doing and shed light as to why I love them so much. It also gave me some ideas about how I can bring things into the studio and remove clutter in some places to make it an even happier place.
If your studio is the kitchen table, remind yourself of the gatherings and comfort it has brought you. Be grateful for the space and time to work on it. If you have a designated space, perhaps you want to give it a quick review and see how you can add more happiness to the space, whatever that means to you. Because the happier you are in your creative space, the more joy will be expressed in your work.
Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment! Have a happy and creative day!
Claude
Protect the Asset
Of all the supplies you have in your studio, YOU are the most valuable. This post is about how to create maximum comfort that allows you to work in proper alignment and for longer periods of time without sacrificing your body or well-being. First, here is a short video about one useful way to help save your back while working.
Another piece of studio furniture I wholeheartedly recommend is a comfortable stool that gives you proper alignment when seated. This one has a comfortable contoured seat and my favorite feature is the adjustable foot rest. It can be adjusted to any height and it can shift from the left to the right so you can switch feet and keep your hip flexors comfortable.
Anti-fatique mats have long been available and in use in commercial and industrial settings. This piece was leftover from a longer piece that we use under a piece of exercise equipment. I keep it in front of my painting wall and adjust it to where I am standing while I paint standing up. Every little bit helps and these mats are especially useful if you are standing on a hard surface in your studio.
My last piece of equipment is this acupressure mat. These are available from several companies and come in lots of colors. I keep one of these on my sewing chair. First, it helps me maintain good posture. Second, it helps keep my hamstrings and muscles loose even if I am sitting at the sewing machine for long periods of time. These mats are useful in relaxing your muscles and I also use these on the floor if I want to lay down and loosen tight neck and shoulder muscles. I bring it along on long car rides so my driving leg doesn’t get stiff. I highly recommend this type of mat. The manufacturer says you should use it on bare skin. I find that even if I am wearing regular clothes, it is really helpful. Sometimes, I use it on my back without a top on, but that takes some getting used to. And I only do it when I really have some knots that need releasing.
I hope that you found this information useful. We want to be creating for as long as we can, both in a day and in a lifetime. I’m always thinking about the long game. After all, anything you love doing is probably something you want to do for years to come.
If you have a useful studio tip for creating comfort for the body and spirit, please reach out and let me know about it. I’d be happy to share it with my readers. Thanks for being here. I appreciate you and I wish you a long, comfortable studio day!
Beauty in Art
Mysterious Forces #1
In the modern era of art, beauty is considered by some gallerists, critics and educated art professionals to be a trivial and even a poor criteria for defining a piece of art as “good”. According to some, art should be thought provoking, innovative, shocking or in some way uncomfortable in order to have value. Yet, as humans we enjoy looking at beautiful things.
As artists, beauty silences us. It causes a pause, even if momentary, and a presence. Beauty engages us and we do not want to leave it. In the creating of art and the viewing of art, we are engaged and inattentive to anything else. The art nourishes us visually and internally. The beauty of art is beyond words and even the words we use to describe it are not enough. It is often why as artists, we are at a loss to “describe our work”.
There is a silence in the creation of art. Even if there is music, words, sounds or external stimuli the artist creates from a place where there is patient, meditative, silent knowing. This is when the most authentic work is born. And the beauty we each find in our artwork is unique to us. Is it the way the paint ran down the paper, the feel of the brush stroke, the unexpected mark that you fell in love with, or the feel of the clay in your hands? Whatever it is, it’s enough. It makes us present. It makes us content. It brings us back to the studio again and again. That’s the beauty of the art - in the silence of creating it.
I have had a few remarkable experiences in my life where I was in a complete bubble of silence. Not just a serene natural setting or a quiet house but, an all encompassing silence. I have been in a room full of 200+ people and should have experienced the roar or everything going on around me all while being completely enveloped in silence. It’s surreal and remarkable because I can count these events on one hand. But, I have also had these moments in my studio. Brush to the paper, artwork pinned to the design wall and unexpected visual surprises that make me smile and say “yeah, that’s why I do this.”
The next time you view art that really engages you, I hope you notice the silence, even if momentary, that it produces. That is where the beauty is, where there are no words to describe it.
Mysterious Forces #2
Remove the Friction
Sentinels - Guardians and Protectors for Us snet from Higher Forces
For over two decades of my teaching career, I taught physics and chemistry. Gasp! Perhaps you weren’t a born physicist and you would have dreaded my class. Honestly, I never thought that my subject matter was so vital as the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. Those subjects need some mastery for people to succeed in life. However, gravity and forces of the Universe apply to everyone whether you understand them or not. Knowing how to calculate the rate of acceleration of a rocket isn’t useful for the vast majority of us. I knew this back then and I made sure that my student had fun with doing science rather than hating it.
One of the concepts of physics is the force of friction. Essentially, friction is a force that opposes motion. In my classroom, I worked hard to remove the friction that stopped students from learning. What force was opposing their progress? Reduce that force and everyone wins.
How about you in your life? What is your friction? The force that stops you, or slows you down, from making your best artwork? Is it internal or external?
The internal friction is the voice in our heads that says “You can’t paint.” Or the idea that you aren’t good enough. The procrastination that you generate to keep you from your studio, kitchen table? You create this opposing force. Why? Life can be hard, why do we insist on making it harder? Why do we stop ourselves from enjoying our time? It’s crazy isn’t it?
Then there’s the external friction. We consider the opinions of people who aren’t creating anything meaningful in their own lives and when they tell us painting or making art is a waste of time, we listen. “You’ll never be a Vincent Van Gogh.” Correct - only Vincent himself could fill that role. We don’t get started because we don’t have a studio, expensive supplies or formal training. So? I know people who have a plastic tote box that they keep their supplies in and create on the kitchen table after the kiddos are in bed. I know supplies can be expensive. What if you bought yourself black, white and one color of paint to play with and see what you could do? The 12 pack of colored pencils to see how layering the colors works? Created sculptures out of the stuff in your recycling bin? There are artists who make a living creating from things they find washed up on a beach. So money is not the factor here - it’s the story you are telling yourself about money. Stop that!
Can’t afford or don’t have time for art classes? Try YouTube. I have a bunch of videos on there and people leave me comments about how helpful they are all the time. What do you want to learn? Look it up.
All I’m saying is that if deep down you really want to explore creativity and make some art - stop making excuses. The reasons you toss around in your head, if you wrote them down could almost all be resolved. The external friction is often just a lot of reasons you just made up that aren’t true - at the very least, they aren’t helpful.
Take a piece of blank paper and a pencil and make a list of what you want to try. Next to each one write down why you want to try it. Review your list - which one item stands out as the most exciting thing you could explore right now? Now, remove the friction. Gather the supplies in one place. Create a time, space and subject you want to play with. Write down what you would have to let go of in order to have the time and energy to create art (or write that book, create that dessert, plant that garden).
Please let me know what happens when you put down your excuses and pick up your creative practice. It helps me and it helps everyone who wants to do the same thing.
Thanks for checking out the blog and I truly wish you some creative time in your week!
Sentinel Collage #7
Will AI Be The Death of Art?
While I was in Florida this past winter I had the opportunity to revisit the Dali Museum. I really took it all in and there was even a moment when I just stood in the center of the main gallery floor and almost burst into tears. I can’t explain what it was exactly but, I knew that I was in the presence of genius. The creative energy of Dali was there and it overwhelmed me to the point that I was powerfully moved - almost to tears.
Dali was intimately in touch with what was going on in the world around him and it was represented by various elements in his paintings. Some things reoccurred, like the ants and his wife, Gala. But it wasn’t like there were a ton of paintings with melting clocks - that seems to have been a one off. Yet it is one of his most celebrated and powerful works.
The museum has a couple of areas for visitor participation. One is a virtual reality where you are actually inside Dali’s paintings and you click around and see stuff from really cool perspectives. Dali wasn’t alive when virtual reality was created but, I think it’s exactly the kind of thing he would have embraced. Innovative, immersive and just plain fun.
Here’s my husband in the VR chair.
The second area for participation is the Dall-E Artificial Intelligence Art room. You sit at a computer and type in a bunch of words or phrases and a program generates a picture. I don’t remember exactly what I typed in but it was something like: colorful sky, soaring eagles, cascading waterfalls over green rocks. Here is what the program generated.
Then the program took all the images generated by the people in the room and created a large image. Here it is with separation and without the black lines.
I have no idea what the other participants typed in but the program somehow made this collage of images. I walked away thinking that was interesting. I also thought Dali would have really loved this. If you want to try it out you can give it a go here.
Lately I have been listening to conversations on podcasts, membership groups and with other artists. A lot of people are worried about how artificial intelligence is going to impact the creativity of humans. After experiencing it, I’m not concerned for my creative output. It was fun to try out the program and see what it does but, it’s not the same as putting brush to surface or stitching my hand dyed fabrics together. It certainly didn’t give me a deep sense of contentment or joy. I guess the concern is that these computer generated images could become so popular that people prefer them to actual original artwork. The price point would be so much less than artwork created by the hand of an artist. It could potentially put artists out of business.
If I never showed another piece of my work I’d continue to create art. I love the physical act or creating. I love the process, the journey, the happy accidents and final outcomes. None of that existed for me with the computer generated art. Going forward, I think it’s imperative that we, as artists, share the journey with people.
If artificial art, a.k.a. fake art, a.k.a. F.ART, is the way of the future like so many believe, it’s our job to make sure people know the backstory of our work. Talk about the amount of time you have been honing your personal voice. Create so authentically that no one could reproduce your ideas. Make your work so personal that it compels the viewer to engage with it. That’s where the magic is. The real treasure of art can only be found within the artist. To believe that a computer program would replace your life story, life choices, creative vision and authentic work is ridiculous. The power of keeping your art alive lies in educating the public about it. A program can make the picture, but it cannot interact with an inquisitive public. That’s unique to humans. We are what keeps art alive. It lives within us. Have the conversation with your artwork and then let it speak to the public.
Out in the courtyard, I just had to pose with the iconic Dali ‘stache.
Thanks for checking out the blog and I hope you are inspired to try something new. Have a creative day!