Paint from our truth. First we have to remove our egos from the process. The minute we think about ourselves as this or that type of artist, the minute we come from a point of view about ourselves, we limit ourselves. We’re dead in our tracks. If we open ourselves up to the possibilities of what we can do and ask ourselves, “what if”, then we can speak truly and move ourselves in new directions.
How many times have you approached a painting and had this little voice in your head that says, “well, I could try that, but that’s not how I paint”. As an artist, it’s true that you need to develop a consistent body of work in order to approach galleries, submit work to festivals, and even to enter competitions to a degree. But in order to truly grow and push oneself to new territory, one must, in the comfort and privacy of their studio or workspace, allow and even invite uncertainty. After all, nothing in life is certain. We didn’t come with a guarantee. The only certainty is change, so embrace that in your painting as well as in daily life. What is the alternative?
Trust your truth. One must trust oneself. We all have this insidious voice inside us, that tells us that we might not be good enough, real enough, talented enough. But the truth is, each and every one of us, is supremely good enough, whole enough and deeply capable and complete. We have to tap into that boundless source rather than take the limited view that we somehow don’t measure up. The simple act of stepping up to a blank canvas is a leap of faith, so why not take it a bit further and put everything on the table while you are up there?
My last workshop in Southern California was a lovely adventure in teaching, reconnecting with old friends and experiencing a different kind of landscape. Who knows what will develop from the trip?
Thank you Pastel Society of Southern California for making it such a delightful time!
3 Responses
such very good and wise words…and a great reminder! it is so easy to give into that little bit of fear…."what if" is such a leap! but as you say, what else can do you really! having jumped into 'what if' many times – and lived quite well to tell the tale….i'm totally into just trying the techniques of some of the great pastel artists (you included!) and if it doesn't work the first time…well what have you got to loose!
i'm very impressed with your new work…those bridges are stunning!
more and more enquirers about the workshop…….your ads are doing a good job!
cheers and very best wishes to you Marla!
Linda
Great post, Marla! Just this past week I came across Brene Brown, http://brenebrown.com whose career is about being enough. Her TED talks are fabulous. I think about you often as I work on completion of my version of the 100 paintings…
Good read! Every time I start a painting I seem to be working with "what if"… my curiosity and desire to experiment has gotten me into a lot of messes, but a lot of successes too!