Learn To Nurture The Artist Within
Je m’appelle John-Michael. Je suis un artiste. (I am called John-Michael, I am an artist) For the past four months I have been spending twenty hours a week studying French instead working on my oil painting.
I am guilty of not taking the time to nurture the artist within. It seems that my life gets in the way, work, school, homework, family and the simple things like cleaning the apartment or laundry.
Maybe my journey as an artist will resonate with you…are you guilty of creating an endless cycle of lists and projects, which you are unable to break free from? This is the list that never goes away and disrupts inspiration. This can be very frustrating and disheartening for everyone involved. But please realize it is something that we must all work through, as this is a difficult obstacle. We only have so much energy in a day and at the end of the day, art is the thing that often gets postponed. We must allow the creative energy time to establish a dialog with the artist, but also allow for the time for the art to express itself.
I am reminded of the person who believes that they must wait until they retire before going on that once in a lifetime vacation, feeling that they have finally earned the privilege…only to die the day before they are to leave.
What will happens if you wait for your dreams to come true. What if you wait too long… you know the time will always escape our grasp. The days pass so quickly and nothing is left but memories… memories of the future.
Can you remember a night of staying up late intoxicated by the energy of a simple dream? Nurture this energy to flow through your being, as it will reveal your path. You do not want to wait till the dream is over to be able to enjoy it. Begin by creating a block of time that is reserved for your inner artist each day. This can manifest in infinite ways; connecting with other artists, reading, doodling, looking at pictures, or anything that provides time to celebrate and bond with your inner artist.
We are all students of the creative process whether you have been an artist for six months or thirty years we are always learning and striving to move forward.
Now your assignment is to have fun and create!