Just Make Art
My new box of vivid color arrived today. I couldn’t wait to open the two-tiered shiny wooden box of pastels from England. This grade of pastels is for grownups, professional artists. I love them!
I can’t wait to smear the pigment with my fingers and to shape forms of light and color of the Golden Gate Bridge.
I’m reminded of the big box of Crayola crayons that I longed for as a youngster but that I never got. I’ve got them now and this is so much better!
Art has always been my friend. When circumstances or people were difficult I could always turn to creating something. Art served as a positive channel of my energy and attention and a way to shut out chaos or concern.
And art can transform negative circumstances into something positive. At least during the time I’m creating I can leave everything else behind.
When I was first entertaining the idea of becoming a full time artist I conducted informational interviews with successful full time artists. One piece of advice that I received was from a well-known ceramist, Donna Billick.
Donna gave me sage advice about building my own enterprise versus relying on art galleries. And then she said, “And when you are not sure what to do next, just make art.”
I usually know what to do next but sometimes I’m just not ready, or I need a break, so the best thing to do is what Donna said, “just make art.”