I came across something this past week that reminded of an Aha I had while viewing the Matisse exhibit a few years back. I can't compare my rough drafts with someone else's finished masterpiece. Yet I fall victim to this all the time and people in my workshops often do the same thing. We're too… Continue reading Don’t Compare
Tag: perfectionism
Muse Flash: Simplify
Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify. - Henry David Thoreau Simplify. Sounds so easy but here I am, once again, learning the lessons of simplicity. To ask myself if I really need to do ________(fill in the blank) or is it a distraction? Does this painting need this level of detail or… Continue reading Muse Flash: Simplify
Creative Courage
The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow. --Jim Hightower Reasons or excuses? Matisse's famous quote “Creativity takes courage” is almost a cliché, we've heard it so often. It's everywhere in memes and posters but maybe that's because as artists, we know it's true.… Continue reading Creative Courage
From the Studio: My Comfort Zone Challenge
My comfort zone felt safe but it also kept me from growing. Recently I tried something that wasn’t really new. Just something I left behind years ago - painting with acrylics but it definitely moved me beyond my current comfort zone. Everything old is new again I used to teach decorative painting using acrylics. You've… Continue reading From the Studio: My Comfort Zone Challenge
Organizing the studio
Organizing anything can be a big job but I believe an artist organizing her studio faces a special kind of distraction. I realized this after I took on the job in my own studio and then read Marion Boddy's Monday post on her studio blog. Seems she and I shared a similar journey. She mentioned… Continue reading Organizing the studio