* Art Helps Me Breath

Let's talk about creating. It doesn't have to be a work of art. It can be a special meal, a flower garden, or a business report. Creating takes you away to places you don't remember you've been to. You begin. It's a bit of a struggle. At some point you break through that invisible shield and loose yourself in a project. Suddenly the afternoon has slipped by. You look at your watch and never want to stop. Where did the time go? Look on the table, or in the ground, or on the paper. Something magical happened, and it didn't have so much to do with you, as it had to do with something which came 'through you'. Ever have that feeling? Ideas simply flow - there is no struggle. Wonderful stuff simply happens and appears magically before you. The two pears above are called "Just bummin' around".

                                                                                           
For me, creating is a particularly useful way to keep myself balanced.  It keeps me out of the Rabbit Hole.  Winston Churchill called it the 'Black Dog'.  He knew what depression was.  Innately, he understood what to do about it.  Every day he hand laid bricks into the wall at his beloved Chartwell.  He painted, and he wrote.  He was a very creative guy.  It worked for him. It can work for some of the rest of us.

A while ago, I began to play with oil pastels.  At first, it was very frustrating, however, as I allowed my self to be patient, and simply play, a series of fruit appeared.  Who knew?  All but three, I had framed and have enjoyed them every day.  I'm a little challenged with my new camera, so I am getting flash reflection from the glass. I'm sharing them with you anyway.

to the left:  "Yes darling, you are the perfect pear."






To the right:     "Or An Ge". Let me be clear.  I didn't say it was easy to get through those big old wrought iron gates to that magically place.  You may scream, cry and throw things on the way.  The urge to run away as fast as you can is common for me.  Laughing and mild hysteria may set it.  A sudden compulsion to scrub the kitchen floor on your hands and knees is a definite sign of avoidance. A deep sadness may appear, or anger may show itself.  Your critic may need to be 'hushed up'.  A little chat with myself is in order when my critic pipes up.  There is an end to the rocky road however.  Suddenly, you find the key in your hand. You slip through the gates effortlessly.  You have arrived.  Bliss.  Peace.  Contentment.  Knowing.  You are definitely in the flow.  Hours slip by, evening approaches, you look at your watch.  You don't want to ever stop.  That's my kind of afternoon!

"Granny's Granny"                                                

Here's my question.  What about discipline.  Where does the discipline come from to walk into your studio every day and just begin.  I'm not there yet.  I feel stuck half the time and don't do anything!  More work to do.  Other artists manage it.  I want some of that.

"Begin - to begin is half the work, let half still remain; again begin this, and thou wilt have finished."  Ausonius  

(do you think this could be the answer?)  Answers are so simple, it's the doing part that throws you.

I love "Papa Pear".  Actually, I'm not finished him as yet.  Isn't he delicious though?  A real hunk.  He needs to be grounded.  I didn't ground the bananas.  They looked like they were 'drifting' around on the page.  Thus "A Bunch of Drifters".  lol

The last painting is entitled "Pregnant Pear"  She was my first in the series.  Birthing this piece was quick and fast.  I was at my friends place playing with pastels.  My first reaction when my friend said "Oh, I like that." was "It's a piece of garbage".  How dare I.  The piece had come from my soul - how dare I knock it!!  It took me a good long time, however, I have made great strides in quieting my harsh critic and honouring my work.

Any other bloggers out there who know what they're doing?  I know they're are tons of you with gorgeous professional blogs.  I'm having so much difficulty with spacing.  Photos seems to fall where they please and the end result when published is a mess of huge spaces I can't seem to see on the 'edit' page.  Nor can I seem to fix it!  I want perfection, and I want it now!  "We" are not amused.  And .... "We" are fustrated.  I adore the Royal We.  As I said somewhere before, I'm a Leo ... lol.  Ah, Donna, patience please!  Will I ever master 'the process' of life?  "No, my dear, 'the process' is your lifes' work, enjoy it."  See, I answer my own questions!  Scary and wonderful!