I had grand plans of carving out some art time for myself this week. I succumbed to a sale over at Christy Tomlinson’s, and bought “The Art of Wild Abandonment” workshop while it was on sale last week. I had to wait a couple of days to get the link, which came on the weekend, and I thought that this week would be a great time to dive right in. Of course, right now the universe is laughing at me, as I have DS1 home sick, and I’m fighting off whatever he’s got, and very slowly losing.
Don’t you just hate that? Instead of rolling over and getting sick, we waste precious time trying to stay on our feet, and end up getting sick anyway, but by the time we fight it, get sick, and get better, it would have been quicker to just get sick in the first place!!
Anyway, plans for making a big arty mess are on hold while I get the jackhammer out of my head and off my neck. But as soon as I’ve got some room in the schedule, I’m all over that course. I’ve started watching week 1 and really loving Junelle’s teaching style already. She’s a sketcher, like me. I’ve never been a natural doodler – I’ll do it, and I’m practicing it, but it’s hard work.
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer has an interesting post series going at the moment on her blog, about Art books and so forth that people have recommended. This weeks post, I have 2 of those books. Art Journal workshop, by Traci Bunkers, and the classic book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards.
I was originally introduced to Betty Edwards’ long lasting book by my mother many years ago. I bought my own copy a while ago when I was doing a short course based around the book – a good opportunity to make myself go through it, because I honestly suck at self-paced learning and self-imposed deadlines. So after having gone through my whole life believing I couldn’t draw, I then discovered that I could. That we all can, if we can just shut out the part of our brain that is busy telling us that we’re wrong, that it looks stupid, that we should just go away and leave that art thing to the real artists.
I know this because of another book that I have read recently, Art and Fear. What an eye opener! I don’t think of myself as an artist, you know, not a REAL artist. I’m just a pretend one. And what a shock to read in there that more people think that than EVER think, yes, I am an artist. That people more talented than I ever will be, believe that they are faking it, and that one day they will be found out. Wow.
So here’s what all us “NOT” artists are going to do. We are going to create, just for ourselves. For the enjoyment of line, of colour, of movement and we are going to make sure that no-one feels left out or that they aren’t good enough. Because we are all good enough, and there is more than enough art to go around. We are going to listen to the good voices, and trust our instincts and just go for it.
So, what’s holding you back? Are you with me?
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kellygrahamartist
OMG I must read “Art and Fear” Describes me to a T. I know my blogs called Kelly Graham Artist, but I so don’t believe that lol. My sister made me call myself “Artist”. I still cringe everytime I see it!! Everytime I finish a painting I freak that I won’t be able to come up with the next idea 🙂 I hope you get well soon!
Cassandra
Thanks Kelly 🙂 It’s a great book. It doesn’t have a cure, but sometimes half the battle is naming your fears and understanding that they are very common, just unspoken. I love your art, and think you are definitely an artist!