Not All Artists are Masters

In the Star Wars movies, Luke Skywalker trained to become a Jedi Master.  He left his training before he was "graduated" and never got to finish working with Master Yoda. He was full of himself and thought surely he knew the best way to go about his life.  In the end, he became a Jedi Master anyway, but it was not without difficulties that would have been avoided had he stayed to complete the work in the first place.

The Jedi were not a large group compared to the billions of people alive in different star systems. Most were trained from a very early age.  Many were not chosen to become Jedi.

Masters of Art is somewhat like this.  There are comparatively few Masters in the world of art than there are or have ever been artists. Of those that are Masters, few of them are actually acknowledged and recognized as a Master during their own lifetime--da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso perhaps, maybe Warhol, Matisse, Dali...but even this is not a certainty.

Artists should continue their training throughout their lifetimes. We never know when our artwork will catch the eye of the "right" critic, the right gallery, the right buyer. We just must continually improve our skills, hone our craft.

The general population and art critics of the time did not appreciate nor agree that many of those we consider Masters were in fact Masters. It seems that at least in modern times, you must be deceased to have value and to be considered a Master.  There are a few possible exceptions who are living, but much of their current status is a result of some very clever marketing and placement.  Time will tell if their artworks will live beyond them or garner the respect of a Master.

What does this mean for those of us who are not Masters?  It means we must continue to practice, to learn, to study, to do the art that is ours to do.  In reality, worrying about being a Master is not why most artists do art. We do art, we create because we can't not do art or create.  We are driven by some inner sense of urgency to put brush to paint, ink to paper, to sketch, draw, and express.  Most of us will not be acknowledged by the world as Masters and many of us will live and die in obscurity with our artwork never being in a show, never being in a museum, never being noticed by an art critic other than our self.  Perhaps, if we are lucky, our family and friends will value our artwork and treasure it, creating heirlooms. And who knows if some day it may not be discovered and considered a Masterwork.
 

But this does not matter.  Not all artists are masters. But all artists are artists.

(c) 2017, SZing, Bohemian Art Cafe. All Rights Reserved. Photographs courtesy of Bohemian Art Cafe and Pixabay's public domain images.

Hooked on Angels

I've always been fascinated by angels and have regular conversations with mine (really, I do).  I heard what may be an urban myth but it was on the Internet so it must be true (hah!)...that 8 of every 10 Americans believe in angels.  Of course, there are other studies that show that 55% of Americans believe in angels versus 34% who believe in global warming.  Yet another study (which very well may just be one man's opinion) showed that 6% of Americans believe in Unicorns (how did they get in touch with so many rennies and under-6-year-old subjects?), 18% believe that the sun revolves around the earth and he says 46% of Americans believe in angels.  Well, I'm one of the 8 in 10/ 55%/ 46%...and here's proof that I'm Hooked on Angels. #InspiredArtProject2015 #angelart

Hooked on Angels, Day 3 #InspiredArtProject2015 (c)SZing 2015
Mixed media--watercolor, pastels on watercolor paper

Happy Do-Over

I love New Year's and Resolutions.  I usually have several pages worth under a variety of headings including Art & Writing, Spirituality, Relationships, Completing Incompletions, Health, Wealth....among others.  I don't always hit the mark and complete every single resolution under those topics, but I do almost always make progress in each area.

Not every hit is a bullseye.  Practice gets the mark.  

What I really love about Resolutions is that once I have missed the mark, I am given cart blanche to a "do over."  It is a chance to renew my commitments to activities or behaviors that I've found helpful in the past.  It is a chance to renew my vigor and energy around specific areas of my life.  It is a way to reconnect when I think or feel I've somehow lost my connection.

I know that New Year's is a very arbitrary "setting" for beginning resolutions--and in fact, I tend to renew my resolutions at least quarterly and definitely review my progress at the end of each month so I can keep on track with creating the life I want and also the person I am and want to continue to improve upon.

Regular attention WILL result in improvements and change.  Love the change.

I've always been a "lister" so resolution making is fun.  And I love imagining not only the outcomes of my goals but the road to getting there...like learning to golf and getting back to working out regularly.  Or completing several art gallery shows in a year accompanied by magazine articles.

Or writing my blog three times a week.  Honestly, sometimes I wonder at those who do it every day.  But then I realize a lot of them only write one or two sentences or paragraphs and add links or photos.  Perhaps I shall strive to take a page from their books and just keep things light more often.

With that in mind, if you haven't been or are not a resolutions or goal setter...here is a terrific link for goal setting with some suggestions.  If it all seems like too much...try just doing a short list of the major three things you want to improve in your life. And then work on each a little every day.  If you want to keep track of your goals and resolutions by phone, here are some suggestions for apps.

And just for those of you who might not be sure, you can find the definition of resolution here.  Besides actually following through every day, the most important things to do when creating your resolutions are:
1.  Write them in a positive way i.e., not "quit smoking" but "be smoke free!" and
2.  Write them down and view them regularly.

Happy Do-Over to you.

Sensible Ways to Inspiration

One of the fastest ways to get reconnected with your inspiration is through the use of the five senses—see, hear, touch, taste, smell.  If you are stuck in your creative flow and cannot seem to move forward to start or complete a project, take 10 or 20 minutes out to really pay attention in an eyes-open moving meditation.
 
Look around you.  What do you see.  Allow your eyes to focus on an object.  Probably, if your eyes stopped there, it arrested your attention.  So really look at the object.  Look at the outline of its shape.  Look at the colors of it.  See if you can discern the variety of shapes that makes up a single object.  Really examine it.  Close your eyes and see if you can describe it in detail.  Then open your eyes and try to really see another object.

Now close your eyes and listen.  What do you hear?  Perhaps you hear the sounds of nature—wind in the trees, birds singing, or cats meowing.  Maybe you hear the sounds of mankind—an air conditioner or heater, the hum of lights, the motors of cars as they pass by your location.  Pay attention to the quality, quantity and levels of the sounds you hear.

Take a deep breath.  Smell the air around you.  Are you aware of any scents where you are?  Maybe you smell your own soap, lotion or perfume.  Maybe you smell the aromas from a previously cooked meal?  Maybe there are smells that are less pleasant. Whatever they are, consider allowing yourself to continue to smell the nuances of the scent.  Really pay attention to how you would describe it—whether visually or with language.  What language descriptors would help you describe what you experience?

Take your hand and allow it to touch your other arm.  Feel the temperature of your body, feel what the skin and hair of your arm feel like.  Pay attention to the pressure you feel on your fingertips.  How would you describe it?  Can you paint that feeling?

Eat or drink something.  Allow it to sit on your tongue.  If it is liquid, swich it around your mouth.  What temperature is it?  Is it sweet, sour, bitter?  If you had to ascribe a color to the taste, what color would you give it?  Can you visually describe the taste?

Our senses are powerful.  When we pay attention to each or all of the senses, it can expand our creative thinking.  If we attempt to use what we experience in a creative way, to describe it or expand upon it, we have a never ending source of creative inspiration.

A Natural Flow and Progression

All of  life has a natural flow and progression.  The tides of our ocean ebb and flow.  Our bodies have a natural flow of energy from day to day and a natural progression over time.

I don't know if other artists and writers have a continual sense of urgency that plagues them...but I do and have for as long as I can remember...a restlessness that I needed to "get to work" on whatever it was I needed to work on.  When I was a child, I couldn't really figure out what it was that I was supposed to be working on.  I have tried many things and moved to many locations, often driven by this urgent sense that there was a thing or things that were mine to do.

Glass suncatcher...even glass has a natural flow and progression when heated. Available at www.bohemianartcafe.com or etsy.bohemianartcafe.com.
(C) 2012 SZing

I had a vague sense that what I was to do had something to do with writing.  And though I didn't realize it at the time, creative endeavors were constantly tugging at me.  I didn't do any sort of artwork other than hand crafts but I played music and I feel my early poetry and musical practices were the start of my natural progression of creativity.  I liked music, but I didn't love it and couldn't get lost in it like I could with writing or like I can now with artwork.

Flow domino available at www.bohemianartcafe.com and etsy.bohemianartcafe.com
(c) 2012 SZing

Some people make progress as if their artwork and career is an avalanche.  They move forward so swiftly it is difficult to keep up with them.  Others start out slowly and inch forward day by day and week by week.  Others, like me, have a flow and progression that comes in starts and stops.  My progression is marked by specific goal events around which I tend to organize my time and talents.  In between the preparatory spurts of energy flow, I take steps toward future events.

Find your own flow and pattern.

Here is an example of the past few weeks:  Preparation for art fair.  Flurry of activity to get all inventory prepared and organized the display materials.  Show.  Unpack.  Downtime.  Preparation for trunk show.   BIG flurry of activity to get all inventory prepared. Show. Unpack.  Now I am in preparation for a show this weekend.  But my inventory is fairly large right now so I only need to organize what I'll be taking for display.  I have a little extra energy so I've been working on locating two venues for art shows in 2013 and connecting with several magazines for articles.  I've been slowly updating my database.  I've been updating my website.  I;ve been teaching art classes and a Writing Frenzy (tm) group.  There is always something that can be done even if the steps are baby steps.  They are all a part of the flow and progression of my creative journey.  As an artist, it is important to understand your own ebb and flow and to understand how you work so that when you're "on", you're on.  Trust the natural flow and progression.

Rules? What Rules?

There are rules for cooking and rules for dating.  There are rules that govern our behaviors in society and rules in most households.  They all have their place.  But I just want to go on record and say that in all my not inconsiderable life experience I have yet to see a Rule Book for writing or artwork.  Yes, I am well aware that there are “schools of thought” and “best practices.”  I am also aware that there is, through numerous peoples’ prior expertise and experience, a significant body of knowledge about what seems to work well, effectively and provide “success” in both writing and the art world. 

I also think it is a good idea for an artist to learn at least the basics of their craft.  I believe it is a good practice to hone one’s craft. 

Having, at times in my life, been a rule breaker and sometimes rebel, I find it equally important to break those non-existent rules--oh, the irony!   Perhaps Pirates of the Caribbean had it right when they said that rules are more of a guideline.  To be constrained by rules in art and writing is a double edged sword. 

There is the value of creating something in the normal and expected manner.  But for the sake of creativity and the sake of an artist’s (I use the term inclusively, as writers are also artists) sanity, constraint by rules can be a death knoll to genuine expression and creative intent.  Rules can stymie the flow of ideas.  And when the flow of ideas stops, the art stops.

Not only does the art stop, but the exploration of the use of mediums vanishes.  What would have happened if the Van Eyck’s had not experimented with pigments and oils?  We would have no oil paintings.  What would have happened if the studio art movement did not play with the production and manipulation of glass?  So many unique expressions in glass would not exist. 

What would happen if artists had not broken the rules?  Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, among many others, immediately come to mind.  Now I realize that there are certain sets of critics and artists who “don’t like” or at least are not fans of these type of artists' work, but it is my belief that our artistic vision, our artistic evolution and the culture of art would be stagnant if not for the rule breakers. 

Sometimes you just have to allow something new to be born that has never been seen before.  This can’t happen within the confines of a fenced in belief system.  Even if there WERE a book of official rules for which an artist should follow…I still would say…rules?  what rules? 

A Ripe Moment

Okay, this might seem a little awkward at first.  Just…relax.  It doesn’t mean you are “crazy,” or “off your nut,” or need psychiatric care (of course, I’m not saying that you aren’t or don’t either!)…

Picture this.  You are zooming along in the art studio.  Making great strides toward completion.  Picking the right colors, the right brushes, making the right marks, adding the right touches, combining the right materials…whatever the case may be, you’re on a roll.

And then, just like a water well gone dry…your energy on the project disappears.  You get bored.  Maybe you stop to take a coffee break or even a nap.  Maybe your eyes glaze over when you think about working on the project and your brain gets fuzzy.  All of these are the perfect symptoms indicative of “A Ripe Moment.”

A Ripe Moment is that place in time and space where a convergence occurs and there is an opportunity to proceed and complete the project.  A Ripe Moment, despite its name, can last for as long as it takes for you to get it that it is A Ripe Moment. 

What do you do when you realize it is A Ripe Moment?

Ask questions.  This is where the partly bonkers stuff comes into play, because you are going to either be talking to yourself, or to your artwork, and no other.



Ask yourself questions about the work.  For the sake of this blog entry, we’ll refer to painting—with the understanding that this could apply to every medium and technique. 

Such questions might be:  what color would I like to use now?  What brush feels good in my hand?  If I could paint (or put) any subject matter into this, what would I add?  Was there anything that I thought about doing to it but didn’t?  Continue to ask questions that require something more than a yes/no answer until you find your energy for the project restored and can again work on it.



If, as once in a while may happen, you cannot either think of any questions to ask yourself or you aren’t getting any answers that move you to that place where you can work again, begin asking the work questions.  Okay…you’re going to have to use your artist’s imagination here and pretend that the artwork is actually answering you. 

Questions to ask the artwork might be:  What color would you like to have next?  What color would you like more of?  Is there something I need to add that I haven’t?  Is it okay if you turn out “ugly”?  If you were going to hang at any gallery or museum, where would you want to be?  What would get you there?

In the long run, A Ripe Moment is a turning point.  It can be ignored, procrastinated or stopped in its tracks.  Sooner or later, if you wish to return to creating, A Ripe Moment must be embraced. 

May you receive happy answers and stay out of the Looney bin.