Inspiration

I enjoy hearing random people I speak with that they are not "creative".  I don't believe it but I usually let them finish their explanation.   It is sometimes coupled with praise for my work which makes it more difficult for me to challenge their view of "not being creative" without losing the praise.  I like getting the praise.  As I have written about before, I believe all are creative in one way or another.  People get ideas and then they do something as a result of the idea.

Being creative has two major components, idea and action.  Another ingredient or possibly a catalyst is inspiration.  For me, I experience two types of inspiration, inspriation that leads to ideas and inspiration that leads to taking action. 

When I'm dreaming, walking down the street, on the verge of waking up or falling asleep, meditating, watching tv or reading a magazine, I "receive" images or ideas for art projects (and not art projects).  I describe this as receiving the ideas because the often feel like they come out of no where and are unrelated to what I am thinking or doing at the time.  They feel like a gift.  With the ideas I receive is typically a purse of energy.  It is this energy consider to be inspiration.  It is fuel for the idea.

But after I have the idea, it is not uncommon for it to sit in my head for weeks or sometimes months or years before it comes out in any form (if ever).  An idea is just and idea after all. 

Fortunately, I also experience an inspiration to take action.  This is a little more than feeling motivated to push an idea forward.  When this occurs, I'm excited, energized, motivated, encouraged to bring my idea into reality.  This is a need or desire to take action and the action feels good, physically and emotionally.  As long as I can focus on the inspiration, I am able to ride the wave and continue to take action.  But, on occassion, I get distracted, the flow it broken and the momentum seems to slip away.  I can get the inspiration back with concentrated effort.  Distractions however will come back to haunt me.

I've learned that the inspiration that leads to ideas and the inspiration that leads to action don't necessarily come at the same time or are even on similar schedules.  Fortunately, with patience and perservernce, both will return and the combination of the two allow me to be creative.

"Horizon"

"Horizon"

18"w x 24"h

Resin on Canvas

"Reach"

"Reach"

24"w x 18"h

Resin on Canvas

"Uncomitted"

"Uncomitted"

24"w x 24"h

Resin on Canvas

Worry

"Worry"

30"w x 30"h

Resin on Canvas

Spring Note Cards

A friend of mine just posted some great note cards.  Please take a look.

http://albertellenich.posterous.com/spring-notecard-ideas-0

Slow Start, Good Finish

When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel particularly creative.  And yet, I have paintings to finish and new ideas to begin.  I procrastinated for about an hour before I realized that my first newsletter was being sent out this afternoon.  The thought was the spark I needed to move a bit faster (okay, just move).

I decided on the pieces I was going to work on and when those were done for the day, which idea I was going to begin.  I changed into my painting clothes, old jeans and paint covered t-shirt, and stood there.  More procrastinating.  I walked over to the bonsai which of course needed water.  So I watered them.  They can't water themselves.  I moved some furniture around to have better flow and/or more space for me to work in (I haven't moved into my new studio yet).  No big surprise, the new furniture placement didn't result in a better flow or more space. 

So, standing in front of my workbench, which needs to be cleaned by the way, I stared at the mess, the used mixing cups, bottles of paint, gloves, etc.  All the items on the workbench needed a home.  I wanted so badly to reorganize but by that point I was quite aware I was procrastinating.  Then I was hit by a series of thoughts.  Will the newsletter be popular?  How will I increase my mailing list?  Can I use it in future to help generate sales?  Off my mind went.  It was thinking about everything and anything EXCEPT painting.  I think if someone held up a shiny object I would have been entranced by it.

Eventually, I started working.  In a very, very short period of time the random thoughts were gone.  Or at least I wasn't aware of them.  I was methodical, precise, intentional and quick.  Task after task, painting after painting, I kept going.  I was an art machine. 

At the point I was working on applying a based coat for a new piece I decided to start today, I was working very fast speading the resin over the large canvas before the resin began to set up.  About half way through, I was became aware that although the radio was on, I didn't notice it.  The earlier thoughts and urge to procrastinate were completely gone.  I felt like I was an extension of the painting, or the painting was an extension of me.  I'm not sure which.  Oddly, and unfortunately, when I became aware that I was in the flow, I immediately fell out of it.  As much as I tried to jump back into the flow I could not.  In fact, the more I worked for it, the more elusive it was. 

The thing I am grateful for is that I did get into the flow today, at least once.  I'm hoping I can get back there tomorrow. 

The First Newsletter

This week has been productive.  I completed two paintings, ordered lights for the new studio and completed and scheduled my first newsletter.  I'm excited and anxious about it.  The newsletter is something I have thought about and talked about for several years now and now it is a reality.  It is just another example of getting my work and name out into the Ether.

Now that the first one is under my belt, I'm not exactly sure what I was afraid of that lead me to drag my feet.  Yes, there is a cost involved, dollars and my time, but both are minimal.  My mailing list is relatively small but then again who knows where emails go after I hit "send".  I actually see growing the mailing list as a game.  How many emails can I collect this month?  (By the way, if you would like to sign up for the newsletter, please go to http://www.nolanstudios.com/ and look in the top corner.)

My goals for the newsletter are many.  I want to stay in contact with people who like my work, first and foremost.  I want to present recently completed works as well as news and events.  I also want to provide descriptions of my process/techniques, current art trends, and how to incorporate more creativity into our daily lives.  I may be biting off more than I can chew but time will tell.  I also want to hear from you.  What works and doesn't work.  The newsletter for me is a communication vehicle, sales vehicle and an educational vehicle.

I would say that my art career has been an interesting journey of "ups and downs" but I know that I have just started.  The newsletter and the blog will help me document how things unfold.

Nightmare

24"w x 24"h

Resin on Canvas

Now and the Future

Although I have several weeks yet to wait before I move into the new studio space, I'm very excited.  The fantasies have started of how I will arrange my work space, what projects I will begin, what new ideas may come to me, etc.  It feels like a just got a new job.

On the other hand, it has also been difficult to continue working in my current studio space.  I find that I have to continue to pull myself back to the present moment.  There are unfinished projects to complete.  There are new techniques to try out which ironically are the basis for those new big future projects.  What I noticed is that when I concentrate on the moment, what specifically I am doing, I become absorbed by it.  In addition, when I finish painting for the day, I feel a sense of accomplishment.  I pushed the projects forward and often learn something new about the techniques I'm using or the approaches I'm taking to create the paintings.

In the past month, my technique and style has changed.  All indications that they will continue to change for the near future, assuming I concentrate on the moment, receive the input and process without judgement.  Prejudice and preconceptions can kill the creative process.

So, I allow myself to fantasize about the new studio and the new work life.  But when it comes down to working, the actual creation, I will continue to concentrate and allow the painting to just "be" and "evolve" naturally.  I guess the same can be said about me as well.

"Forsaken"

"Forsaken"

February 2010

I, alone, crucify. I, alone, am crucified.

There are times when I feel rejected or abandoned. The motivation can stem from my reaction to the behavior and words of others, how I react to my behavior and words towards others, or how I react to actions and beliefs internally. This raises both negative and positive emotional and spiritual consequences. The incentive to gain praise, attention, approval, or bowing to peer pressure can result in denying or hiding fragments of myself or sacrificing me for the sake of another. Alternately, these same behaviors can also empower me to grow by learning and shedding life patterns that no longer serve me. In the end, whatever the outcome may be, forsaking oneself is indeed painful and lonely.

This painting represents the intrinsic rejection of myself or parts of myself by forsaking aspects of who and what I am. I chose the classic Western iconic image of the crucifixion because it illustrates suffering and rebirth at both a physical and spiritual level, the title, "Forsaken," being an allusion to Matthew 27:45-46 in the Christian Bible.

"Abandonado"

2010 de febrero

Yo, solo, crucifico. Yo, solo, soy crucificado.

A veces me siento rechazado o abandonado. El motivo puede provenir de mi reacción a la conducta y palabras de otros, cómo reacciono contra mi conducta y las palabras hacia otros, o cómo reacciono contra acciones y creencias internamente. Esto levanta ambas consecuencias negativas y positivas, emocionales y espirituales. El estímulo para ganar el elogio, la atención, la aprobación, o inclinándose para mirar la presión puede tener como resultado negar u ocultar fragmentos de yo mismo o sacrificándome por otro. Alternamente, estas mismas conductas también me pueden autorizar a crecer aprendiendo y la muda pautas de vida que ya no me sirven. Al fin, lo que el resultado puede ser, lo abandonando es verdaderamente doloroso y solitario.

Esta pintura representa el rechazo intrínseco de yo mismo o de las partes de yo mismo abandonando aspectos de quién y de lo que soy. Escogí la imagen Occidental clásica de icono de la crucifixión porque ilustra sufrimiento y renacimiento en ambos un nivel físico y espiritual, el título, "Abandonado," siendo una alusión a Matthew 27:45-46 en la Biblia cristiana.