COURAGE TO CREATE

I am fortunate that at various shows and workshops I receive the compliment on how good my work is.  (In fact, I have become somewhat of a compliment junkie)  For some reason the last time I received this compliment I was struck immediately with the thought, "I have no excuse not to be good."  The reason being that it is simply common sense that the more you practice the better you get.  I mean weren't we all taught this as children? I can still hear the voice in my head from various adults as a child saying, "practice makes perfect".  So why, is it is so hard to accept it as an adult now? When I tell people, well I've been painting the equivalent of a full time job for 8 years so I better be pretty good, they look at me with disbelief.  I don't know every one's story and I know that a lot of the time we tend to idealize people into this rare ball of talent that we possibly cannot attain and will never be........that somehow they were just blessed with this and they were magically picked by fate to succeed. I am all for magic, mystery, fate and the unknown and I know we are all born with different abilities and talents that I think are predetermined by whatever cause you want to call it........but I also know is that if you spend over 16,000 hours (that's 40 hours a week for 8 years) working on a skillset, you are bound to get better! I'm sure you are familiar with the 10,000 hour mastery theory? Now, I would not call myself a master of course but I've put in 1 1/2 times that amount so I better be pretty darn good.

The problem I think often is that people are not putting in consistent chunks of time to get good at what they do.  You have to be honest with yourself. How many real hours are clocking in with painting?  Because that's where it counts.  Don't confuse artistic activities like straightening up the studio, ordering supplies, facebooking, looking at references, watching art tutorials, reading blogs, toning canvases (well I think you get the point) as CREATING ART!

And yeah, it sucks. I know it sucks.  I wish it came easier. I wish I could be spectacular without all the effort!  ;)  It's hard stepping up to that easel every day and painting. Sometimes it even feels like it gets harder and harder, but there is no way around it, I've got to actually CREATE in order to create.  So I think the 2 top qualities for an artist to develop are COURAGE and HONESTY. 

It takes courage for me to create and frankly half the time I trick myself into it by saying well I don't give a shit how this turns out, so I don't chicken out.  The second thing that is difficult is to be honest. I know when I need to try setting something up for the 10th time and I know when I didn't give it my all and when I was fearful or lazy in a painting, where I didn't take the risk. All of this courage and honesty is alone what will make the paintings better.  I wanted to share some thoughts on this because sometimes I think it's too easy to think that artists who put out a lot of work, or who seem so confident while they are painting don't experience fear. 

So I encourage you today to have the COURAGE to create.

Some of my favorite books related to this topic:

The Courage to Create by Rollo May : https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Oj_Z1xImAwoC&source=productsearch&utm_source=HA_Desktop_US&utm_medium=SEM&utm_campaign=PLA&pcampaignid=MKTAD0930BO1&gl=US&gclid=CKCdns2TjskCFQbWfgodxWUGaQ&gclsrc=ds

War of Art by Steven Pressfield: http://www.stevenpressfield.com/the-war-of-art/

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594634718/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=86276772067&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4571683959837468642&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6ws444ecdr_b

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0062315005/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447443743&sr=1-1&keywords=the+alchemist+paulo+Coelho

Some paintings I've recently completed.

Food for Thought Friday

I thought I would share an experience I had in my last year at art school, 2011.  We had to submit artwork for our big senior exhibition. This was sort of seen as the culmination of all you learned....or didn't learn of the previous 4 years. So yeah, there was some pressure.  Beyond the fact that I knew none of the instructors were going to like my work regardless, I wanted to do my best. I also knew that this meant that time was running out and I would have to find a way to pay my bills after graduation. I hoped this would be by painting. So the pressure was really turned up. Although I had worked very hard for 3 years,   I started to get frustrated by the time that I was putting into 1 painting with failed results.

One day I was contemplating a solution to this problem. I asked myself, "How can I go through all the steps that go into finishing a painting faster?".  The answer at the time was by cutting the canvas size I could cut the painting time.  So I grabbed a 20x24" panel and roughly gridded out several small rectangles. 

At the time, I really thought my compositions were the major weakness so that was my focus.  Setting a timer of 2 hours- I would set up a still life, paint it and go to the next.  I didn't analyze each painting after they were completed. I just went to the next one.  After a couple of days of doing this, I had this whole panel of little still lifes.  I was really excited because I could see that after the repetition I was changing things up, getting more free, more creative,  thinking more in visual terms. 

There were 2 paintings in particular that I felt really had something.  So those 2 I decided to try on a larger panel.  I found that the paintings were far easier for me to complete after having done the study.  And when I added up the time I would have given to all the more blah compositions, I saved a good 80 hours! 

These two paintings turned out really well for my technical capabilities at the time and they both went on to be in shows and both won awards and sold.  So the 12 hours I invested in the studies saved me 80 hours of frustrating and painful painting and led to profitable pieces.  Now the rest of the mini studies had a charm all on there own and I wound up cutting them out of the panel and selling most of them....and some of course were Christmas gifts for friends and family.  I learned other things from this approach I took, but I will share that at another time.

I hope that you will listen to that voice inside of you that says, there's got to be a better way and I hope it is as successful for you.  (Or you can take this idea!)  Good Luck.

Panel with some of the paintings midway through, in 2011 (looks like there were 16 in all):

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were 2 that were most interesting to me and I enlarged them to 16"x20" and 24"x20"

 

Tangerines and Pewter - oil on panel - 2011

Metal, Glass and Onions -oil on panel - 2011

 

 

Food for Thought Friday

PAINT UP!

Who can put a price on a painting?  Well we have to do it, but sometimes the price can bring with it some psychological hang ups.

Have you ever had that feeling of let down when you get your 50% commission check for a painting and you feel like a deflated balloon. You think, "Wow. I should have gotten more for that painting." or vice versa, "Man I really got paid too much for that one. It was so easy."

THE PROBLEM is we can remember how much or how little time, effort and struggle we put into that painting and perhaps we are left feeling that the compensation is disproportionate to our efforts.  I know for myself there have been times that I have put in 2 days work on a miniature 6"x8" that I will receive $200 for and I put in the same amount of time for a 16"x20"  that will yield 5 times that amount.

HARD TRUTH:  People don't care about how long it took you, how hard you worked, the stumbling blocks, that it was a breakthrough painting for you or that you got up at 5:00 in the morning to paint that painting, yadda yadda yadda yadda. ( I know - ouch) There just wishing you would shut up.  What they care about is the RESULTS!  So it really doesn't matter how little or how long it took you, if they LOVE the painting they are going to buy it. Why do you want to put your story onto them? Why not leave them with anything else than pure love?

Sometimes your price tag on a painting can limit how much sincerity and effort you might put in. You may be working on a miniature and your thinking of that check that's going to come in for it....and you may pull back.  You might think it's not logical for me to put 4 more hours into this painting (even though it's not working yet), I'm going to make minimum wage at the rate this is going!  Ha Ha.  I'm speaking from personal experience here. 

Again, here's the HARD TRUTH:  You're not being paid by the hour, your being paid by the value that you are creating for others.

If you're like me and you are still trying to shed the old middle class, paid by the hour, money mentality you were trained to have and you want to step away from the large majority and aim for EXCELLENCE  then I have a little trick you can use to psych yourself out. Are you ready? Are you ready?  Are you sure your ready?  (Okay sorry, trying to insert a little drama into this)

Okay.....here it is......PAINT UP!

PAINT UP- it means pretend like you are going to get paid double what you are going to be paid. I do it all the time and it really pushes me to dig deeper and put in all the time that is needed for that painting to be as excellent as it should be. (No not always - I'm not perfect....yet).  Because here is another HARD TRUTH (can you tell I like hard truths) - if you don't do this you will actually limit your future compensation, you will imprison yourself in a price tag.  So if you want to move up in your price tag, you've got to move up mentally and give the customer more VALUE then and only then will the opportunity come that you can actually receive more $$$ for what you have made. 

Now it's time to "Shut up and paint".

Here are two paintings that I put the same amount of time into (8-10hours) and both sold for very different price tags:

"Terracotta, Cotton and Corn" - 16"x20" -oil on linen - $2400

"Orange Pieces with White Blossom" - 6"x8" - oil on panel - $450

Your Life's Work is the Reward

For about 4 years now, I have been showing and selling work.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I've been a bit of an overachiever in a lot of ways. I've always enjoyed recognition, getting better at something, impressing Mom with my good grades.....searching for love through performance.

I chose art as my path because I genuinely loved expressing myself in this format and the learning process.  However, once I got to art school I was surrounded by sooooo many others who were far better than I was  and others who I thought weren't better than me, but were getting those "undeserved" (chuckle) grades and adulations.  I started bouncing around going from seeking validation (through recognition) to constant comparison with others and how I measure up. Now in my mid 30s I am realizing that inferiority and superiority are symptoms of the same problem.  I simply want to be in love with what I am doing and proud that I did the very best I could, having integrity.

Every part of doing the work is the reward.  A ribbon is very nice and it says to me, "Hey, someone noticed." The painting on the wall is just a fraction of what I, and many others, do on a daily basis.  I will paint many, many paintings that will never be noticed that much.  That's okay. 

I was just talking with artist friends in Colorado and realized how much my life has changed since I became an artist.  Every single day I get an email or comment from someone saying I lifted their day, inspired them or motivated them to create. WOW. When I think of my life pre-art,  I am so thankful that for the last 8 years I have chosen to create every day.  It has changed me in so many ways.

Here are some books that have helped me along the way:

   * I know. Weird. But the story is all about aiming past the target and figuring out your "why" for doing something, which helps you cut through all the bullshit and do the work with integrity.

  * I had this book for a long time, but for whatever reason, it took me a number of years to really get into it.  Now it is indispensable. It makes me realize when I am feeling "resistance" and work through it.

 

"Chinese Lanterns and Pueblo Pottery" - 12"x24" - oil on linen

Evergreen Fine Art Gallery

 

 

CHASING LIGHT PROJECT 2015- SPOTS 2, 3 & 4



Here are the results from the next 3 painting locations.  I am doing the very best I can to study these scenes and paint them to the best of my ability.  I can't say that I "enjoy" it 100% of the time.  It's hot, it's sticky, I'm sweaty, I'm sunburned, I'm covered in mosquito bites....you get the picture and it's not pretty.  But I keep thinking about the legacy that's come before me. Every artist that has studied and practiced their craft so hard throughout the centuries has left me with a mandate to try harder. I think about Sorolla hauling his canvases down to the beach to paint from life. How Thomas Moran hiked up the sides of mountains and I laugh at myself. Modern life has led me to like comfort, but surprisingly that's not always rewarding!  Getting out of my comfort zone is not pleasant, but it is rewarding. The fun thing is, I become a different version of myself every time I complete one of these paintings.  That's pretty great.  So, I hope you will enjoy the results of my project.....and watch as I keep being uncomfortable! I am about halfway through my practice right now. Temperatures keep rising. We are getting more rain today and tomorrow which is halting me, but I am determined to see the 10 locations, 60 paintings through.  I hope you are enjoying the paintings and thank you for following the project.

Painting Spot #2 - Tree in North Pasture - Sunrise to Sunset- West Facing

 

Painting Spot #2 - Farm with Silo - Sunrise to Sunset- East Facing

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Painting Spot #4 - Hay Field - Sunrise to Sunset- Northwest Facing

CHASING LIGHT - A Series of Landscape Studies - 2015

So over the winter, I had come across this humorous article by the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/a-few-thoughts-from-monet-on-those-stacks-of-wheat

It was so funny to read some of the thoughts that Monet wrote in his journal about his "stacks of wheat" paintings. Then I remembered reading about him taking out his stacks of canvases to paint a new painting every time the light changed.  I have to confess, I am not a Monet expert, neither am I really a huge fan of his work- but something about his idea and his dedication to study and work ethic, truly inspired me.  I realized what resolve was within him that he took out a stack of canvases determined to complete each one as ardently as he could. Also when I read his quote " I would like to paint the way a bird sings", I decided he had to be pretty great and I overlooked him.


So, I set me course of action - an achievable goal (ha!.....little did I know how difficult it would be).

10 Locations x 6 paintings throughout the day = 60 paintings

They are little, 6"x8" or 8"x10", nothing too grandiose. Just humble scenery that for whatever reason I feel drawn too.  I don't know if people will enjoy this and frankly that's really never the point.  I always hope so, and it's always disappointing if they don't.....but mostly I am doing this because I have to.  Because I have to do something different from my usual routine.  Just like with the sunrise paintings last year, I want to be changed by this- be rejuvenated - be in each and every painting and give all that I have to it.  I hope that I will grow. 

So here is my first scene that I painted.  I was driving around on Route 66 outside of Edmond,OK in a little town called Arcadia.  I love it out here, it feels like home- with lots of farm land, hay fields, old white wood houses, barns, cows and ponds.  As much as I adore being next to the ocean, this scenery is in my bones and just feels good to look at. What can I say, you can take the girl out of Oklahoma, but you can't......you get the idea.  I decided, I would start with this simple grove of trees.

Here are the results of that scene from sunrise to sunset. I sure hope you enjoy :)

Sunrise!  Always a challenge to capture that fast changing light....30 minutes and it's totally different. But it is one of the most gorgeous times of day. I just can't get enough of that soft peachy color in the morning sky. The challenge is waking up early enough and being "awake enough" to think. 

Morning! Between the hours of 8-10 a.m.  Usually you still get some beautiful strong lights and shadows, but in this case it was an overcast morning - still some residue form all that crazy rain we had here!

Noon -  The heat isn't totally bleaching out all of the colors yet at noon and you get that gorgeous clear blue sky and puffy clouds.  I like the colors in this one and tried to capture the gesture of the clouds and trees.

Afternoon - The sun is highest in the sky and blazing hot. I tried to change up my composition by adding the little trees on the right.  This was a hard scene to paint and I kept breaking out the how to books. Which by the way I strongly recommend any of Kevin McPherson's books, but I love this one:http://www.amazon.com/Fill-Your-Paintings-Light-Color/dp/1581800533  

Evening - Ahhh, again beautiful soft colors that were so inspiring. This one was an 8x10 so I tried to see if I could get a bit more refinement than the others. 

Sunset- This one is probably my favorite, although not very resolved. I did another 8x10 for the sunset, which the light changed so fast -it really challenged my memory.  The sun was setting behind me and throwing the most stunning hot orange light on the tree trunks. The cools and warms are simply a fascinating thing to see. 

 

I hope you will follow along with me for the next 9 spots! 

If you can support me financially in this project, please go to my Kickstarter Campaign to pledge. I am trying to raise a fraction of the costs that it takes for me to complete this.

 

Click here for more details:

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1093372456/chasing-light-a-series-of-landscape-oil-sketches

 

As always Thank you!