This painting “Blue Beginning” 48″x 48″, and two new works were delivered last week, and can be seen at Terra Firma gallery in Sonoma, CA.
Without commitment, I am easily distracted by the mundane things in life. When you and I look, mostly what takes up our lives is mundane things. Some examples being, doing household chores, taking the dog for a walk or washing the car. These things are all part of living, and have their place. It’s just that if we want to take on a creative endeavor, like writing a book or creating that series of paintings we’ve been thinking about for two years, we need to make a commitment. By making a commitment, we make creating our art the priority. This then alters the course of our future. There is now a new vitality. There is the excitement of a new adventure, and part of the excitement is risk. We have a vision of something grand, with the backdrop of possibly failing.
Over the years, I have made commitments, and have succeeded and failed. Though no matter what the result was, by being committed I ended up taking action where I would not have. Some of what has been created is new work, new discoveries, painting sales and growth as an artist.
Every creative commitment I have taken on and kept in existence over a period of time had at least the first two, and usually all three of the following actionable items.
1. Make it public what you are going to do. Tell someone or someones. e.g. I will create 10 new works by a certain date, or I will set up a website to show and sell my art, etc. (Note – Its recommended to do this with people that care about you, and you trust will empower you, not someone who will tell you all the reasons why you can’t and shouldn’t bother. Use your intuition here.)
2. Create a plan and schedule it on your calendar e.g. From 10-1 paint in my studio. From 1-2 go visit the salvage yard and look for new materials to use for my new mixed media series. Monday, put a coat of primer on the canvas, etc. ( Notice I didn’t say, schedule to paint the Mona Lisa and finish it by Wednesday. Break it down and put down actionable steps towards the result you’re after.)
3. Create a support structure e.g. You could hire a business/art coach that consults with you on a weekly or monthly basis. You could join an empowering artists group. I have done this with an organization called A.C.N. Artist Conference Network. We meet approximately every two weeks to show creative work, and there are weekly calls between the members. If you got moxie, find an artist who inspires you, and ask if they will mentor you (expect to probably pay something.) Be creative, and seek out the best empowering support structure you can find or afford to pay for.
If you’re not already an inspired working artist?
I challenge you to take these ideas on.
Be committed, take action and live a creative life.
Until one is committed
There is hesitancy, the chance to draw back
Always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and Creation)
There is one elementary truth
The ignorance which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
That the moment that one definitely commits one self
Then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one That would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision
Raising in one’s favor all manner
Of unforeseen incidents and meetings
And material substance
Which no one could have dreamt
Would have come your way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
WILLIAM H MURRAY
Upcoming art workshops in my studio are on Saturday, August 30th, and Saturday, September 13th. There are a couple more spaces available >>>
“Emerging Self” 12’x 12″
