The Sweet Spot

There is a place on the tightrope of bliss that allows for infinite, perfect expression of creativity. It's always a balancing act when painting to apply the needed intellect, and to simply be a conduit of creativity. Also, there is a "sweet spot" when the viscosity of the paint on the canvas is just right and your brush flows like a gentle breeze on a full moon night.

Let's be a bit more specific here and quit talking all the "new age" sort of lingo.

The heart of the matter is having the knowledge of color, composition, paint application, or any medium you may work in, good conceptual skills, and being able to combine that with ability to let go of all your preconceptions as to how the painting should evolve and what the final result will be.

Often, after having done a lot of preliminary sketches, making small mock ups, and deciding the pallet to be used, I tend to have what feels like quite an investment in the piece at hand, and that it should turn out as I have chosen. This investment of ego can create a "stiff painting", one that is technically great, but will not speak to the viewer.

The nature of evolution is to seek that which is unknown, thus producing something dissimilar to the previous model in order to create something great. This seems to apply to art as well.

If you are determined to have a work of art turn out exactly as you have planned it, whether in the minds eye or on paper, more than often you will end up with a well orchestrated piece of art with a lack of that something special we'll call "heart connection"

What is "heart connection"?

It is the ability to create a work of art for the viewer that will resonate with peoples hearts. They feel what you wanted to communicate, they can associate with your work of art because it has more than just good technical and conceptual skills. It has that something extra special that words cannot define.

The reason that words are incapable of defining "it" is because the person who created the art went beyond the dimensions of intellectual skills and got in the rhythm with the force of life. The invisible energy that gives us all life, movement, animates us.

Ability to connect with that sweet spot when you paint gives an added dimension to your art work. When you are in the zone of true creativity balanced between the mind and the invisible energy of life, you know you have hit the "sweet spot".

Saying For The Day: Let go, be open to the unexpected..........

Creating Time

Between everyday responsibilities; the have to, must do, and need to get done, there is the "creative time" that eludes many people. In order to find the time to make art I must intentionally create time to pursue my artistic passions. In doing so, sometimes I have to rearrange all those have to get done items of everyday responsibilities.

A lot of people ask me how I find the time to do everything I do and they think I have a life unfettered by the realities of responsibilities. I run an architectural business, make short films, paint, and am also writing a book. I'm not a super human, nor do I have any more time than anyone else, I mean the day is only twenty four hours long, give or take a few minutes of planetary fluctuation.

One of the largest consumers of time is the ole television, and the social site media perusing on the internet, of which I'm also guilty of. I don't watch television per say, I'll watch a movie on Hulu on the internet, and yes I do my fair share of social media as well.

I always ask myself, "is this how I want to be spending my time?" Asking this question helps to keep me conscious about how I spend my time, and if I would really rather be doing something else, whether relaxing in a different way or being productive with something. I know I can sit and watch a movie for two hours and feel like ten minutes has passed by. If I use those two hours to write, do art, or give some love to my fiancee, then more than often I feel a sense of fulfillment and that I am in the flow of life.

So, my secret to living is very simple. Turn off the T.V. and the social media, and listen to what your spirit, body, and mind want to do. We all like to feel a sense of accomplishment. We know when we are in the flow of life, and resonating with the energy of life. Life is river, you can hold on to the rocks on the shore and fear the river, or you can swim with the current and enjoy the ride.

Saying for the day: Be true yourself, know yourself, know your passion.