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| #WIP.01.2015 |
I birthed this piece when I went for my annual retreat at St. Benedict's in St. Paul, Manitoba. The Retreat Center, particularly the Art Room, is a great incubator for creativity. Maybe it's the silence that is intentionally practiced as a sacred ritual in that place that makes the difference. Whatever it is, it's a place where I can intuitively connect with the Spirit.
The beginnings of this piece are quite humbling.
That day as I was sitting in the art room, I was in a particularly unsavory mood, not about anyone or anything in particular. You know those days when you feel really out of it for no apparent reason, and the only explanation you have is that you feel 'quite contrary'?
But I was not alone. A friend of mine was in the room, strumming away on his guitar. Eventually he noticed me huffing and puffing, brooding over my empty canvas. My inner grouch was obviously making a scene.
I LOVE what he said next.
"Shayani, stop procrastinating and just paint already!"
BAM! This is why I love my straight-up friends, especially the creative ones! They don't mince words in getting to the point. My friend's words were like a razor, cutting through the crap of my indecision and confusion to the root of my procrastination. But of course, I couldn't just admit that he saw right through me!
"Fine! Geez!" I huffed as I took a deep breath and threw paint on my canvas.
How I started on this piece gives me great insight about my creative process. On that particular day I remember that I had no inspiration whatsoever as I sat there staring at my empty canvas. Maybe, having no inspiration was what was ticking me off. Maybe, it wasn't even annoyance, but fear. Fear of not having inspiration, fear of just throwing paint at the canvas and very possibly ending up with utter failure, and not to mention, wasting paint, which is a precious commodity to an artist just beginning in their practice.
Whatever it was, my friend's words, though made me defensive at first, made me also face that shit! It demanded a response from me, a course of action.
I had to paint without a plan.
And the most beautiful, and rewarding learning experiences happen when the artist takes risks.
When I first started the painting this is how it came out:
It appeared that I was going to paint a TREE, a very colourful tree, with a fiery background. This was not particularly inspiring to me. After I laid down my brush for my first break, I looked at my tree and sighed. So much for intuitive painting, I thought to myself, as I walked out of the art room.
But apparently the Spirit was on a different wavelength than I. Some hours later as I was working on my tree, another friend wandered into the art room, and looked at my painting. Then she did something amazing! She lifted the canvas from the table to get a better look and in the process rotated it unintentionally, and proceeded to marvel at what she saw! And the funny thing was, to my great relief, she wasn't seeing no tree on there! Here's what she saw:
Apparently in my cloudy state of creative angst, and discomfort, I had accidently wandered into the realm of impressionism, like that of Thomas Kinkade, whose work I thoroughly enjoy and admire.
Not pretending to be anything like Kinkade though. What I really learnt from this piece of many colours is this: Fear of failure is a real deal to the artist, and for any entrepreneur in fact. But the faster you quit running from it, and actually face it and CREATE in spite of it, the more you open yourself up to the happy accidents of life, which lead you to great discoveries and improved skill.
Something which Cherie Haas, the Online Editor of Artists Network confirms when she notes that it is often the "unexpected turns [that] lead people to where they're meant to be".
And in the process of discovery, you will be rewarded with an even greater treasure for life and living - perspective.
Perspective changes you.
It changes your ethic: the way you treat yourself, and the people around you, and it flows organically into your work too!
And it will show.
After I completed ninety percent of my work on the piece, I posted it on my facebook page. To date, the post remains as one of the highest ranking in terms of reach, and feedback.
So what are your thoughts about my #WIP? Do you have your own story about risk and reward? Or maybe the end wasn't that great for you. Do comment and let's gain perspective together!
The beginnings of this piece are quite humbling.
That day as I was sitting in the art room, I was in a particularly unsavory mood, not about anyone or anything in particular. You know those days when you feel really out of it for no apparent reason, and the only explanation you have is that you feel 'quite contrary'?
But I was not alone. A friend of mine was in the room, strumming away on his guitar. Eventually he noticed me huffing and puffing, brooding over my empty canvas. My inner grouch was obviously making a scene.
I LOVE what he said next.
"Shayani, stop procrastinating and just paint already!"
BAM! This is why I love my straight-up friends, especially the creative ones! They don't mince words in getting to the point. My friend's words were like a razor, cutting through the crap of my indecision and confusion to the root of my procrastination. But of course, I couldn't just admit that he saw right through me!
"Fine! Geez!" I huffed as I took a deep breath and threw paint on my canvas.
How I started on this piece gives me great insight about my creative process. On that particular day I remember that I had no inspiration whatsoever as I sat there staring at my empty canvas. Maybe, having no inspiration was what was ticking me off. Maybe, it wasn't even annoyance, but fear. Fear of not having inspiration, fear of just throwing paint at the canvas and very possibly ending up with utter failure, and not to mention, wasting paint, which is a precious commodity to an artist just beginning in their practice.
Whatever it was, my friend's words, though made me defensive at first, made me also face that shit! It demanded a response from me, a course of action.
I had to paint without a plan.
And the most beautiful, and rewarding learning experiences happen when the artist takes risks.
When I first started the painting this is how it came out:
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But apparently the Spirit was on a different wavelength than I. Some hours later as I was working on my tree, another friend wandered into the art room, and looked at my painting. Then she did something amazing! She lifted the canvas from the table to get a better look and in the process rotated it unintentionally, and proceeded to marvel at what she saw! And the funny thing was, to my great relief, she wasn't seeing no tree on there! Here's what she saw:
 | |
|
Not pretending to be anything like Kinkade though. What I really learnt from this piece of many colours is this: Fear of failure is a real deal to the artist, and for any entrepreneur in fact. But the faster you quit running from it, and actually face it and CREATE in spite of it, the more you open yourself up to the happy accidents of life, which lead you to great discoveries and improved skill.
Something which Cherie Haas, the Online Editor of Artists Network confirms when she notes that it is often the "unexpected turns [that] lead people to where they're meant to be".
And in the process of discovery, you will be rewarded with an even greater treasure for life and living - perspective.
Perspective changes you.
It changes your ethic: the way you treat yourself, and the people around you, and it flows organically into your work too!
And it will show.
After I completed ninety percent of my work on the piece, I posted it on my facebook page. To date, the post remains as one of the highest ranking in terms of reach, and feedback.
So what are your thoughts about my #WIP? Do you have your own story about risk and reward? Or maybe the end wasn't that great for you. Do comment and let's gain perspective together!
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