Committing to Art Every Day

"Despite our culture's well-earned reputation for encouraging instant gratification, we are not encouraged to act decisively upon our creative desires. We are trained to think about them, doubt them, second-guess them. We are trained in short, to talk ourselves out of committing art or committing to art." Julia Cameron

After writing the paragraph above, I decided to check out the website Creative Every Day to see what she had to say about talking myself out of committing art. I will follow her beginning in December. By clicking on a provocative box on that page, I came upon a blog devoted to improving my experience on Blogger, the platform I use to write to you, and then I thought to myself, my, aren't I avoiding something here! Next thing I know, I'll be cleaning out my studio again. A great way to seem to be doing art but not.

There is an assemblage I'm enjoying talking to that's not coming together, yet I'm confident it will. Each day I move things around and ask what's missing. It has changed a lot, and while it is changing, so are my thoughts on what I want it to be. I am committed to it. Then there are the unfinished paintings. I've moved them so my eyes run smack into them first thing in the morning. "Hmmmm," I say each day. "Let's start drawing. Or maybe I'll write." Here I can see I'm more into doubting and definitely into second-guessing.

Creating art is a slow process. There's plenty of time to doubt, to second guess. Each day I sit down to write or pull out my drawing pens to do a page of imaginary animals, I tell myself I am creating art. Even though I don't have a finished project, I am setting my mind in motion and heading in the right direction.

Baruch ata adonai...I am excited about admitting to myself I create art every day. Each time I sit down and draw or consider an unresolved work and add to it in some way, I am taking myself seriously. How refreshing! Amen