Swimming in a Sea of Paper

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Swim".  I decided to try using construction paper.  Not sure how I feel about the colors.  Not really very vivid, but it is a low cost kind of paper.  It was fun to play with and because it is a low cost medium, the creative process felt more playful and free.  So, construction paper is not just for elementary school children!

Thanks for stopping to look at my art work and blog.  Please leave a comment.  I love to know what you think because I am always wanting to learn something new and I know you have something that you can teach, not just to me but to others!  And remember to play!  Making art should be fun.

Add to the Beauty

Looking at other's people's art can either be inspiring or it can be discouraging. I don't know how many times I have looked at art work and thought, "My stuff looks so childish and unfinished. I can't compete with that!"  Now, that can completely stop the creative process.  But if I can look at other's art work and say, "That is so beautiful, I want to make something beautiful too," then I am looking with eyes that are not clouded with my own ego but rather they are lighted by understanding that we are all creative creatures, born to create.

Appreciating another artist's work should bring out the best in other creatives, not squash any hope they have of making something lovely.  I spent an hour or so on deviantart.com this evening as well as a couple of artist's pages on Facebook.  On other day that would have put a wet blanket on my creative drive, but tonight, it was as if I was ready to be stirred up and looking at other's art work made me want to create too.

The next time we feel discouraged about our art because we think someone else is "doing it better", remember, you were given your gift just for you and that means it is unique to you.  Art shouldn't always be one pitted against another.  Rather we all contribute to the beauty of the world by every creative effort we make.  It is so much the inclination of human beings to make that which is ugly (ie. war, murder, lies, gossip, etc. you get the idea).  Any time we can make beauty it is a good thing.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you were encouraged to go and make something lovely!  Please leave a comment and a link if you post it on line.  I'd love to see what you do!  Blessing!

The Lord Has Compassion...

The past couple of weeks have been hard.  I mentioned some of it in my last post.  The loss of a dear friend has really taken its toll.  It's strange how we can think we are struggling and suffering in life and then a true tragedy comes along and it puts everything into perspective.  The struggles don't seem so bad and all the worries become silly and petty.  The true tragedy tears at us and jolts us back into reality.  Then real pain grips us and we are overwhelmed.

Yet always, God is there, offering his comfort.

I did this watercolor as I grieved for my friend and his wife.  I am so glad we have the gift of creativity to express our deepest emotions.  In this expression there is comfort and healing.

Thank you for stopping to see my art and read my words.  I would love to know how you, dear reader, use your creativity, art, writing, music, etc. to work out the hard primal emotions.  Please leave a comment.  You might help someone find an outlet for their pain.

When Life Strangles My Creativity

The past few weeks have been tough.  Life has simply swept me away.  The daily demands of family and work are a lot in and of themselves, but when you add on top of that things like auto accidents with property damage, added work hours, a death of a close friend and the gloom of winter, I have been finding myself at the end of my strength.

As in the past, my creativity is the first thing to go.  And as I realize this, I see how little value I have place on it.  I have internalized the messages that art is frivolous and "extra" or a "luxury".  I have even arrived at a place where I wonder if God even cares about art.  I realize, after a bit of soul searching, that He does care for He is the Creator and we are made in his image, so we must be made to create and look at all the cool stuff we have created!  So much beautiful art, visual and other wise has been made to worship and glorify God.  Not only that but art edifies us, lifts us up and encourages us.  It also makes us think and reconsider when it shocks us.  Not to say that all art has a positive effect, but that potential is there.

I have to remind myself of all these things.  I know now, with no doubts, that God has called me to be an artist, to share and develop my talents and use them for the encouragement and blessing of others. But realizing this is not enough.  I have to take action and that is what requires strength.

It has been 20 days since I posted here. That is not my best.  I want to post here a couple times a week, but when I am tired and stressed, I want to crawl into a dark, quiet place and sleep.  I don't get to do that though, so, I become lethargic and apathetic, not to mention cranky!

Now I know creatives have struggled with this kind of thing through out the generations.  We all know about poor Vincent Van Gogh and Ernest Hemingway.  I don't think there are too many artistic people who have not at one time or another struggled to create, let alone get along with the demands and difficulties of life.  But I believe it is important to realize there is a struggle and to recognize the triggers and the patterns which I fall into.  I don't have to stay  in this place.  I'm actually thoroughly sick of being here!  I hate that my motivation only comes in spurts.  I especially hate that television and food are easy ways to medicate my problem rather than me taking the time to deal with my problem.

So here's my plan. I know I have to have a plan and by posting it here, I am making a declaration that I am going to follow through with the plan!

1.  I am going to get more sleep... God willing...one way or another! And I am going to keep the Sabbath.  We all need a day off.

2. I am going to rise early EVERY DAY before everyone else, so I can spend some time alone with God and prepare for the day.  (By the way, I am taking a 30 day Rise Early Challenge to help me stay motivated.  Click here to check it out and maybe get yourself inspired!)

3. I am going to walk away from the television more often.  It only gets in the way of making stuff!

4.  I am going to take some art classes and get involved with a writer's group.  I need to be around other creative people, in a face to face way to help me stay sharp and get sharper!

5.  I am going to post here at least once a week about what  I am doing to make this happen.

6.  Sketch daily.  Write daily.  Even if it's just for 15 minutes!

7.  I am going to get a longer vision.  Life is not an emergency!

Okay, now, before I make this list too long, I am going to stop.  This is a good place to start.  I would love to know what you think about my plan and share what you do to keep yourself creative when life gets hectic.  Please leave a comment!  I want to know what you have to say.  Thanks so much for stopping by to read my thoughts.  That fact that you did means so much to me!

The Inspiration of Having a Job

Let's get practical today.  I know there are those hopeless romantics out there who are offended by the notion of making art to make money and believe that art should be pure and created by the artist to express himself to the world in order to change it.  They imagine an artist who is tucked away in some dingy apartment in the part of town where all the "creatives" hang out, suffering for his art, living painting to painting, not sure when he'll have money to buy his next meal.  So he writes his brother who has a real job asking for some money, cuts off his ear over some dame and then because he is despondent and misunderstood by a world to hard to recognize his great talent and unique soul, he kills himself, making his art insanely valuable when sold at auction 100 years later.

Okay, that was a little about Van Gogh, who I love and who was really a very troubled man.  I can relate to emotional turmoil.  I've had my share.  But couldn't he have been just as productive if he had not had to deal with that turmoil?  Some one like Michelangelo had his emotional junk too, but he was always gainfully employed and I bet that gave him more inspiration than his inner angst.

I mean, as a creative person, it always helps to get us moving in the productive direction when we have a direction to go in.  Song writers and singers don't just sing to themselves in the shower, they want people to hear them and it sure is nice to have some cash at the end of a gig to pay for gas, a meal and have a little left over for a bank account.  And with times being what they are, we are all feeling a little lean and motivated lately.

When my kids went to school, I had a dilemma   It was time to get a job!  And a full time job is not always readily available at this time in history.  So part time is helping out, but I also realized that a couple of part time jobs can be cobbled together to get closer to a full time job.  Not only that, this extra alone time is a great opportunity.  Needing to pay the bills just adds the fuel.

Pursuing a dream for the dream's sake could have been my motivation, but realistically, I know that I have put off the dream because I always had something else, like a payed by the hour job or children who need my attention.  I can truthfully say I have more responsibilities now and have to schedule my time more carefully than I did pre-kids, so I can't say I am doing this now because of the free time.  There is always stuff to fill the minutes with.  And I am finding I use my evenings more consistently than any other time.  Day time is for my jobs.  So, I want to add another job to my daily to do list.

That makes me feel overwhelmed!  But I keep going back to one thing... I want to have a career as an illustrator.  I want to make cool stuff AND get paid for it.  If I just wanted to make cool stuff, that could wait until I'm retired.  But right now I've got to plan for the expenses of life.  I'm doing illustration because I love it, but I'm going to be honest and say I'm making progress toward that dream because I want to make some money.

Oh no, that totally takes the innocent glow off of the dream.  Makes it sound seamy and greedy.  Yuck.
I love a song by a local singer named, Danny Flanigan, (check out his website by clicking on his name.) where he says, "Money gets me down.  Down because I need it.  What a stupid thing to need!"  I so agree with that and I'm not going to let the lack of money get me down, but I'm going to keep working with the hope of filling that need.

I would love to know how you feel about all of this having a job and needing money thing.  I bet it gets you out of bed in the morning!  Please leave a comment!  Thanks for stopping by!

33 Ways To Stay Creative

I found this list on http://www.stumbleupon.com.  33 Ways To Stay Creative is a list of things, many of which I guess I am already doing but only started recently.  The more I admire other creatives, the more creative I feel, the more I produce and create.  This all moves me to be more confident and centered.  The more creative I become, the closer I draw to God, because, I need help to be creative.  All of my past attempts were so forced and focused on what I HAD to do.  Now, I just do it because it grows out of me and what God made me to be.  The older I get, the less I know.  So I ask for wisdom to know the way and for strength to make the journey.  We are made to be makers.  Created to create.  I like this list.  I may print it out and frame it so I can see it and listen to good advice.