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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

How the Book "Ignore Everybody" Helps the Artist

What is an artist? I say it's someone who expresses themself creatively. In his book "Ignore Everbody", Hugh Macleod includes references to the creative person (artist in my terminology)in a broader sense which includes the creative person with a new idea to express, wether it be an idea for a business, a painting, a piece of music, a dance...the list could go on and on. Macleod is a cartoonist, though he wasn't always one. In a sense you could say there's an artist (or aspiring one) in all of us. We all have talents and skills of various kinds. The difference lies in what we choose to develop. Two ideas from this book stand out especially to help the artist/creative person. The first one he recommends is to not quit your day job, if you are starting a new creative project/idea, and the other is to keep your joy. He also shares his experience of well-meaning others in his life who tried to steer him in directions he didn't feel right about going. His concern was that following their suggestions would take away the simple joy he got from drawing his cartoons. This is always the concern of the truly creative person, in all walks of life is to maintain one's interest and spontaneity in their creative endeavor - even if it means keeping your day job.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Art and The Planet

The recent oil spill is a reminder to not be so careless with this planet we live on. As artists, some of us seek to capture the beauty of the planet, while others are recklessly ignoring the part they play in imbalancing it's delicate state. It's this way with some artists too, who's art expression is more designed for it's shock value rather than it's appreciation of the beauty that already exists in nature, architecture, and human beings. It would be interesting to see what would happen if people would spend a little more time caring about how to protect and appreciate the beauty and resources of the planet rather than always seeking to take without thought of what they can give back. The same goes for artists who's art only chips away at man's love of harmony, form and beauty. The outer reflects the inner.
(Written 5/8/10)

Today's Thoughts

Difficult Days
Sometimes we can have very difficult days in our life, despite our best effort. That's when it's time to be very, very grateful...even for the thing that seems to be difficult. Past experience would remind us that difficult experiences often lead to greater depth, understanding, wisdom, compassion, and empathy. These qualities are good for anyone - including the artist.

The Power of Music
Listening to music that is written and played from the heart is a powerful way to chase away undesirable thoughts and emotions that temporarily cloud one's outlook on life.

2010-03-22
Freedom
We complicate life and create problems for ourselves when we take away someone else's freedom of choice...
We sometimes even think we're being "helpful", but if we force them to do it our way without asking their permission we create more problems...
We can offer our thoughts, but then let them have their freedom...

2010-03-21
Insightfulness
This day is full of lessons, gifts and love if we learn how to teach, appreciate, and love ourselves and others...
2010-03-20
Inspiration
There's a reason why all the great spiritual masters have taught that love is the key to truly living...
I'm not talking about selfish or controlling love, that's not really love...
I'm talking about the kind of caring that turns a blank canvas into a painting of the Mona Lisa, or that turns an awareness of mold into life-saving properties for mankind...
Or the kind of caring that takes the time to be kind to a child who needs it...


2010-03-17
Moving Forward
Moving forward in life may mean leaving something behind...
We want to have our cake and eat it too...
Letting go can be one of the hardest things to do...

2010-03-15
Forgiveness
If I forgive you today, it will be easier to forgive myself tomorrow, and vice versa...
After awhile it becomes a habit, and pretty soon you find there's nothing to forgive...
Understanding has replaced all need for it...

2010-03-12
Life's Gifts
It is possible to have the experience that every human being we encounter (online and off) is a treasured gift if we look to see what the gift might be...
Some of the gift's others bring are obvious, some are not...
The enjoyable experiences are obvious, the others may take some time to place the value on...these are the ones we usually learn the most from...

2010-03-11
Why Are We Here?
I know I'm on this earth for a reason as are you...
If you don't know, look to Mozart, Abraham Lincoln, Edison, Einstein, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and other great souls and see how they answer that question, both in words and deeds...
Then notice which you remember more, their words or deeds...
2010-03-10
Men and Women
If my masculine and feminine sides are in harmony, then I'm less likely to react to unwanted influences from either sex in my outer world...
Working to create balance in my art and life is the way of the artist...
It takes effort, that's why its called a WORK of art...

2010-02-25
Passion And Drive Or Love and Commitment?
What to you is passion and drive is to me intensity of love and commitment to my art form...
Paradoxically one can be simultaneously intense and serene when practicing one's craft...
Just as there can be both self and others...

2010-02-24
Life Is A Gift
True joy and freedom come from appreciation of the gift of being alive...
That I can think, feel, and know is a gift...
We lose our joy when we forget to be thankful for the gift of life...

2010-02-23
Everyone Has Their Own Truth
People generally aren't interested in your truth unless it agrees with theirs...
If you tell them your truth and they haven't the experience, they'll think your mad...
Experience may one day show them a different truth...

2010-02-21
Self Assertion Or Self Expression?
The true artist is never concerned with self-assertion, but rather self expression...
The real artist is grateful for his craft - his vehicle of expression...
The artist seeks a way to thank life for his artistic ability through his art form...

2010-02-18
Selfishness And The Artist
The selfish person is afraid...
The artist uses his fear to create something better...
The petty person is also afraid...
The artist never allows himself to become petty...

2010-02-17
Recognizing The Creative Spark
It's easy to forget that within each of us lies the spark of creativity that is capable of greatness...
Some of us can see it in ourselves but not others ...and vice versa...
In this world of immediacy we overlook the possibility that the creative spark is creating something that is not immediately obvious...

2010-02-16
See It Through
The darkness is always before the dawn...
One must survive the night in order to see it...
The caterpillar knows nothing of its future life as a butterfly...

2010-02-15
Love Is Always In Style
Love is something people will always need...
It will never go out of style...
It is always available, though sometimes you have to work at seeing it.

2010-02-13
The Artist's Journey
The artist's love for his craft drives him ever onward to new heights...
He/she is always on the look out for new ways to express that love...
The artistic journey is continuous...

2010-02-11
Humility Is A Requisite
The true artist knows there's always a greater level of skill and mastery beyond the one that he or she is at - thus the learning never ends...
When learning a new level of skill, patience is required...
One must first recognize that one doesn't know something in order to learn...

2010-02-10
The Artist's Experience
The artist allows himself to experience/see life in his own unique way regardless of being outnumbered by opposing views...

2010-02-08
Winning And Losing
Sometimes to win something of real value, it may appear to others that you are losing...
True humility comes with a price...
It may take a long time to realize that your losses are actually getting you closer to winning something of greater value...

2010-02-07
Treasures
The gift of love from the heart of a child is more precious than gold and silver...
Remember to cherish your loved ones no matter what their age...


2010-02-09
Acceptance
Some days despite yout best efforts, your feet just seem to drag, so we do the best we can and learn to be kind to ourselves...

This Complex World

As the pace and complexity of this world picks up more & more, the need for simplicity, calm, and tranquility picks up right along with it. Artists, musicians, creative people have never been more needed. Every moment spent looking at a beautiful painting, or listening to inspiring music is a moment that helps bring balance to society's trend towards over-mentalization and over-stimulation. The movie Koyaanisqatsi(means life out of balance) which came out in 1982, was visionary and spoke directly to this issue - and that was 1982! It's wonderful to see all the beautiful art work that's being produced (especially you, dear readers),and artists, please know you were never more needed than you are today.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Attitude is Key

Service with a smile is a rare and precious thing. So often those who are in positions to be of service to others forget how their attitude affects those around them. Anyone...teachers, ministers, artists, the guy at the local burger place, grocery store, library, you name it, the list goes on...they all pass on their attitude to those that they serve. If one is full of gratitude for the gift of life and all its blessings, then that can be passed on to those they serve, otherwise they pass on whatever thoughts & attitudes remain unexamined. Something for us all to think about...

Need

Who decides what an individual needs? The doctor, counsellor, family, friends, mate, church, government, social groups?... They might mean well, but do they really know?...

The Blessed

Anyone who works in the arts is blessed - knowingly or unknowingly...

Love Your Work

If you have a love in life, whether its a relationship with a person, your business, or your art form, it requires regular care and nurturing and attention for it to survive and prosper. In some ways its harder to do this with your art form. In a relationship you have another person there to let you know one way or another when they are being neglected, but with art or music you just have a blank, inanimate canvas, or untouched instrument, which doesn't say "Hey I need some attention". All you have is yourself and how YOU feel. That's your only reminder, unless of course your love is your livelihood - in which case your reminders may come in the form of bills.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Love and Gratitude to Art and Artists

Love and gratitude and appreciation for art and artists and all things beautiful that inspire and uplift. Here's to you! Keep it coming!

Monday, March 1, 2010

Keys To Accomplishment

I've noticed that when I want to accomplish something (whether it's a short term project or a long term goal) I try to find points along the way - ministeps that are easy to succeed at - to build my confidence for the more challenging steps that might come later. I train myself this way to get in the "habit" of being sucessful or to at least enjoy myself along the way - thereby associating the whole project as being something fun and enjoyable.

The Creative Process

What is the creative process? It is really the process of LIVING creatively. How we live our daily lives is more important than we realize if we want to truly become the artist. We need to learn to LIVE creatively. That means if we're here to bring inspiration to others through our art form we need to be creative in our thoughts and feelings about living (rather than destructive) This requires paying attention to our thoughts and feelings in our interactions with others,or at the very least, reflecting upon them at the end of the day. How many times were our actions life-giving (creative)or at least harmless/neutral when with others? Were we thankful for this day and the people in it? If not we can look deeper into our lives and see why not. I didn't say this was easy - but neither is being a good artist. We get better at it with practice, and then we create the greatest work of art...painting designing, sculpting our own lives...