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'When it takes so much to get going.'
Copyright (c) 2007-2023 Celeste Varley
Most artists I know haven't the luxury of making art full time. I know I don't. Like most of us, you probably have to fit art into other obligations and everyday activities. Maybe you cannot afford to work at your art every day. But does this mean that you aren't a "real" artist, or that art has to be "merely" a hobby or frill for you?
You probably have inspirations for works you'd love to explore, and dreams of grace and beauty in the making. Swans are birds of grace and beauty, at least when they glide along on the water.
But when you finally do make some delicious time for your art, how much energy does it take before you are actually flying? There's assembling the appropriate canvas, paper, wood, clay, instruments, and other media. Then there's the long, still, contemplation period to tap into the heart of your interest. This may require much drawing, even measuring, envisioning, meditating, mixing, and so on, to get this flight underway.
For an elegant bird like a swan to take off and achieve flight, it takes far more effort and energy in the first few seconds than it takes for most of the time on the wing. Have you ever watched a swan, a duck, or a goose trying to overcome the drag and achieve lift-off? There's a great splashing and galloping of legs, great beating of wings lifting, lifting, fighting the water's drag.
And then, on the best of days, finally, finally, you have lift-off. Then you're flying and all is well. Some birds can ride across continents or oceans, without flapping their wings, riding thermal lifts which come from below.
As long as they trim their wings in equal balance, they can continue to glide. But if they lose the updraft, and speed slows beyond a certain point, they stall. Once stalled, they will fall unless they flap their wings again.
It's the same with art making. Once the huge effort of beginning is accomplished, it can be relatively smooth gliding. Of course, there are always places where it's good to pause on purpose, or be stalled by the work itself.
A short eye rest, looking at distant things, a walk or cup of tea doesn't interrupt the flow of your work, and you can return refreshed. You can grab another updraft, find another thermal, ride another jet stream, as long as this piece is still in the making.
You may have noticed that the longer you paint, draw, throw pots, write articles, play music, write poetry, the more ideas and inspirations come to you. While you're in the midst of one of these wonderful adventures, when an idea alights, grab it!
Hidden somewhere in your present work lie the seeds of your next work. It might be somewhat related, or it might come out of a challenge within the present piece that you want to face head-on. Or both.
Make a note of your vision or idea to make a related piece. Actually make a tiny start on this new idea, if you can. A brief note, a quick sketch, or a drawing during a break can give you the brief rest you need. Then you can return to the main work with fresh eyes.
Eventually, hours or days later, these transatlantic, transcontinental birds need to land. Landing on water looks like water skiing, with wings thrown into reverse thrust. The last bit, when they drop softly into the water takes less effort than the original take-off. But as the breast is lowered to rest, they've hit the bottom of the cycle. No more flying is possible without that great kafuffle of lift-off.
Eventually, hours, days, weeks, or months later, your artwork will be finished. That's the part I dislike; when it's over. It's the let down of the end of the adventure. It's the empty nest syndrome. You'll need to sign it, clean up your media, frame it, or whatever you do with a finished piece. But these tasks only cover your mood of dropping the flow of creative energy. It's still over.
Do you know this secret to avoiding drag and drop?
There is a way to avoid the initial effort of take-off and the let down at the end too. If the greatest effort is needed to get started, then why not stay aloft? If you kept some note of all the inspirations that came to you out of the work that was in progress, then there will be no need to completely land. No need to go through that superhuman effort of fighting drag again and again.
It's a good idea to have at least two pieces underway, or at least started at the same time. Then with a necessary break at the end of one, your next work will be waiting for you, already underway. When you next get a chance to fly, all you'll need do is start flapping your wings, and you'll soon be soaring again.
Celeste Varley
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Hello, I'm Celeste Varley and have been an artist at heart all my life. It is my privilege and passion to help seekers move beyond self-expression, to access the seeds of wholeness within. If you like this article, you may want to see more "Fresh Horses" articles on my website. Check it out and see if it's right for you. http://www.heartsongstudio.com Celeste Varley, Heartsong Studio, Helping the Creative Spirit to Soar.
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Top-Level Category: Arts and Crafts Articles
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When you can't see for looking
Written by: Celeste Varley |
Distributed: 2007-05-03 |
Word Count: 848 |
Page Views: 5172
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.12
The Museum of Modern Art in NY held an exhibit featuring a
painting by Renoir. About 140,000 viewers came to admire this
work. They all saw the sky, the sea, and the sailboat. But, not
one of the 140,000 viewers noticed that the painting was hung
upside down. Why not? Because we see what we expect to see. Now
I don't know if this story is actually true. I heard it on a TV
courtroom drama, but it certainly illustrates a truism. See how
clear your vision really is in this article.
Knitting 101: Learn Everything You Need to Get Started - from the History to the Basics
Written by: Christine Beals |
Distributed: 2008-04-17 |
Word Count: 1034 |
Page Views: 4709
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.12
When some people think of knitting they picture little old
grandmas slowly passing the hours away, but not anymore. Knitting
is a wonderful hobby that can provide anyone with a plethora of
pleasure and relaxation - not to mention adorable blankets,
scarves, hats, clothing and more! You can learn to create
handmade knits for yourself and for all the people you love with
just a little practice and patience.
Unique Gifts: Are They a Thing of the Past?
Written by: Nicole Maschwitz |
Distributed: 2008-05-06 |
Word Count: 419 |
Page Views: 4187
| Votes: 20 |
Rating: 2.05
Lets face it, times have changed long gone are the days of
knitting and crocheting. Lets admit it now with the introduction
of computers and X box, the next generation is more interested in
helping Scratch from Ice Age rather than doing embroidery. In
addition, with mass production of goods from China and other
countries, unique is becoming more rare.
How Solo Performances Kill Creativity
Written by: Celeste Varley |
Distributed: 2007-09-11 |
Word Count: 488 |
Page Views: 4020
| Votes: 25 |
Rating: 2.04
If you are used to taking charge and making things happen, why
does drawing leave you baffled? I feel your frustration in this,
and hope you'll find some relief in this article.
The Hard Work Of Becoming Spontaneous
Written by: Celeste Varley |
Distributed: 2007-12-26 |
Word Count: 799 |
Page Views: 4449
| Votes: 21 |
Rating: 2.00
Do you toil and sweat over artwork, while envying other artists
who seem to just create effortlessly? See if you can find a
breath of renewal in this article.
Wisdom Of The Tribe: Favorite Native American Artists On The Web
Written by: Eagle Vale |
Distributed: 2007-07-05 |
Word Count: 746 |
Page Views: 5435
| Votes: 24 |
Rating: 1.96
Many Native Americans have achieved fame through their art or
through their lives, and some of the greatest artists of this
modern age are descendants of the original American. Here are a
few contemporary Native American artists and a description of
their work:
Solutions That Won't Stay Put
Written by: Celeste Varley |
Distributed: 2007-07-12 |
Word Count: 476 |
Page Views: 4536
| Votes: 26 |
Rating: 1.96
You've just learned a new method of drawing, painting, throwing
pots, or attracting positive things into your life. If it starts
to lose it's shine, do you feel disappointed? 'Solutions that
won't stay put' will show you how lucky you are.
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