Lisa Takata on mon 23 jun 97
I had an experience similar to Kathy's with "The Artists' Way".
Although the book was a good jumping-off point for starting an
ongoing discussion group (which we called a "Creativity Salon"),
the contents of the book itself did not leave much of a lasting
impression compared to the value of spending an evening of
collaborative time together every two weeks. Most of the people
in our group were artists in different media and the diverse
perspectives that people brought to the discussions made for some
interesting thinking and conversation. Some group activities
were sprinkled in amidst the discussion nights, with visits to
coffeehouses, gallery openings, a night of ceramic mask-making,
even contra dancing). We read and discussed another book
together, "A Brief History of The Senses" - everyone would bring
items to share and discuss (for instance, bringing things to
taste, or see, or touch) depending on the week's topic. If others
have interesting recommendations for books that could be used for
future 'creativity' discussion groups, please post them to the
list, we would enjoy hearing about them!
Although the salon has been on hiatus for a while, the gorup
continues to be a source of support - everyone recently attended
the first gallery show of one of the group's organizers.
Lisa T (still doing my weekly artist dates!)
Phoenix, AZ
Sherry mcDonald Stewart on thu 26 jun 97
I was looking for stories about how the spiritual aspect might have
worked for some people. It seems her thesis is that the universe will
take two steps towards you if you take one towards your creative goals.
I have experienced a bit of this, but I wanted to hear from otheres.
Thanks for writing, and if you have any stories, I'd like to hear them.
Sherry
Sally Larson on fri 27 jun 97
Sherry,
I am new to this list but I can honestly say that I am here "because" of The
Artist Way. I struggled through the 12 week program in a much longer time
with my partner and friend. We have both experienced profound changes in
our lives as a result of it. I wouldn't be able to recognize the person I
was a year ago. The process is really about shedding all the negative words
we hear in our heads that prevent us from moving forward and doing the
things that we are "soulfully" driven to do. Words like "I can't, I
shouldn't, what would people think, I am too stupid, I am not capable, etc..
.....". Once you shed this baggage, you are then ready to learn what it is
you really want to do and can be free to be creative in a most "soulful"
way. You just feel it coming out of you as you work. She has a saying in
the book," Jump and the net will be there." She feels that if you are able
to focus on your work creatively, then your work will reflect that soulful
connection. As a result, you will be able to find ways for your work to
support you. In other words, if you want to be a sculptor, don't sit in an
office all day dreaming about it, do it. Find a way to make it work for you
.. It had definitely worked for me. I am stunned and amazed by the work I
have been doing.
Sally
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I was looking for stories about how the spiritual aspect might have worked
for some people. It seems her thesis is that the universe will take two
steps towards you if you take one towards your creative goals. I have
experienced a bit of this, but I wanted to hear from otheres. Thanks for
writing, and if you have any stories, I'd like to hear them. Sherry
the Gallagher's on sat 28 jun 97
Sally & Sherry,
I have been reading with great interest your posts on this book, I have it
too, and found the process difficult for me to follow through with in the
literal sense, as I am not a "writer".
I have been getting together with a friend for "artist dates" for about a year
now, and have seen some progress.
I'm still struggling with the "baggage". Worrying about the outcomes, ie.
"where is this all leading me to" is still there, and "will I be ready to
handle it when I get there" is contantly in the back of my mind.
I'm thinking of forming a small support group for "insecure novices"! Guess
I just need more reassurance than the average person. Although I've "jumped"
before, it doesn't make it any less scary.
Michelle
Puppets@msn.com
----------
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List on behalf of Sally Larson
Sent: Friday, June 27, 1997 6:22 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: Re: Artist's Way
----------------------------Original
message----------------------------...........The process is really about
shedding all the negative words
we hear in our heads that prevent us from moving forward and doing the
things that we are "soulfully" driven to do.
.....". Once you shed this baggage, you are then ready to learn what it is
you really want to do and can be free to be creative in a most "soulful"
way.
.........."Jump and the net will be there." She feels that if you are able
to focus on your work creatively, then your work will reflect that soulful
connection. As a result, you will be able to find ways for your work to
support you. In other words, if you want to be a sculptor, don't sit in an
office all day dreaming about it, do it.
Sally
Indianapolis Art Center on sat 28 jun 97
When I was in graduate school, some of my friends had copies of the book. I
purchased it and tried to read it, but had so many other areas I was
exploring that I put it away for a later date. In retrospect, that would
have been the perfect time to read the book. Anyhow, I am now reading the
book (I am on Chapter 10) and there is a group of people here at the
Indianapolis Art Center who have all either worked the book or are working
through it.
What I have noticed is that there is a greater calm in my life, as well as a
sense of power, strength, commitment and synchronicity. The other people in
our group who are actively working the book have also experienced these same
feelings and synchronicity. I believed in many of the things she talks
about prior to reading the book, but this book brought me back to that
"reality" of acceptance.
Stephanie Robertson
Exhibitions Assistant and Fiber Artist
>---------------------------
>
william w. weaver on sat 28 jun 97
Sherry mcDonald Stewart wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was looking for stories about how the spiritual aspect might have
> worked for some people. It seems her thesis is that the universe will
> take two steps towards you if you take one towards your creative goals.
> I have experienced a bit of this, but I wanted to hear from otheres.
> Thanks for writing, and if you have any stories, I'd like to hear them.
> Sherry
Sherry
Your questions about the spiritual nature of art as referenced in the
Artists Way caught my attention. I have not only followed the artist way
but also found that the primary emphasis/ direction is one of recovery
as in recovery of our spirit and in may ways our souls. Much of the last
millenium has resulted in an evolutionary disengagement from ourselves
and from our surroundings. We have become extremely externally focused
to the point of losing ourselves. Books like the Artist Way emphasize
the importance of recovering/regaining our contact with ourselves and as
a result with the energy of the universe. There is quite alot of work
out there that discusses this subject, try some of Mathew Fox's books
particularly the "Reinvention of Work" which has a strong emphasis of
art as sacred work. Others you might try are books by Anne Wilson
Schaafe, Starhawk, Danial Quine(?). All emphasize the fact that art
plays a role in not only our individual developoment but also our
collective development as a society, without art or creative expression
we become soulless.
I have found all of these readings and the work I have done on my own
emotional healing very strengthening and very helpful in my art. Some of
the work is not easy it requires intimacy with ourselves and others it
also requires letting go of attachments and outcomes. I found that this
particular learning was one of the most beneficial for me. I cannot
welcome or be open to the universe if I am forcing my will on it by
being attached to or trying to control an outcome.
Currently, things and the universe are chalenging me and I want to see a
firm direction since I am currently unable to live off of my art. But my
work has given me the clarity to know that following my heart is of
utmost importance because that is the path to my wholeness, so despite
the temptation I will not return to my prebvius career. To do so would
not be true to myself.
One final thing I have learned from this path is the fallacy of
judgementalism. We each have our own paths and consequently our own
expressive needs and messages. To judge those message is tantamont to
saying that green is better than red! I have found that it is more
important to recoganize the richness of diversity in styles, techniques
and messages and that I may or may not agree with or resonate with some.
This has been quite long but I hope you found something useful, feel
free to e-mail me direclty. I would love to hear more of your story.
There is one more thing I'd like to share. One of the beliefs of the
Druids who were the
spiritual leaders of the Celts was that growth comes from imbalance and
not from stasis. I think part of the process discussed in the books I
have cited reinforces the fact our culture tends to want us to believe
that everything should always be even, to have blips in life and to have
ups and downs is not normal. I think recovering ourselves is partly
about discovering this truth that growth only occurs when something is
out of balance when we challenge ourselves or are challenged. As artists
our growth stagnates and sometimes ends when we fail to push the limits
to thow something out of balance.
Bill
Joyce Lee on fri 22 mar 02
Wish I hadn't deleted the post from the clayarter who recommended The =
Artist's Way. A couple of years ago I was struggling (even more than I =
am now) as to what I wanted to be as a potter ..... thought it had to be =
"functional" or "sculptural" .... dumb... but that was my thinking in =
spite of several years on Clayart and reading all the posts which =
frankly whizzed pretty much past my beleaguered brain. I hadn't planned =
to struggle with this kind of thinking AFTER retirement... never in my =
wildest imagination ... not for real .... not concerning myself..... =
continuing the life style that worked for me was my goal, with perhaps a =
little extra travel thrown in ..... completing a PhD in education, =
which I'd started four years prior to retirement, was my only objective =
outside of status quo maintenance ...... clay entered my life but as a =
hobby only ..... just to play around with .... provide balance to an =
academic life well lived, or so I thought .... there I was and happily =
so ... might even fit in a hand of bridge now and then, perhaps become a =
museum docent..... teach a class of student teachers in an outreach =
program from Chapman University.... maybe write a few articles for =
various education journals ..... nice life with plenty of time to just =
Be, no relationship to Being on the Road to Becoming either... just =
Being was enough; that's where I was when I discovered, through =
claybuds' recommendations, The Artist's Way. Then coincidentally a =
local group I belonged to had a speaker who used The Artist's Way by =
Julia Cameron as a focus for her presentation on creativity. I ordered =
the book the next day ....... pretty basic I know, but it was perfect =
for me at that time. I practically absorbed the material ... quotes and =
all... into my thinking..... worked under its influence for many =
months.... which helped push&pull me over a hump that completely blocked =
my view of ever thinking of myself as "creative."
I continue to be stimulated by scanning Cameron's book now&then.... but =
have added others to my scope, limited as it remains ..... it's still =
much wider than it was the day I retired. The difference is that now I =
am frustratingly aware of my limitations and struggle daily to surmount =
them. Clayart helps.
Joyce
In the Mojave happy to be where she is and what she is at the moment ... =
and even happier to have so many claybuds of like thinking who provide =
inspiration every single day ... some are significant gurus in the clay =
world.... others are known only to a few..... I'm grateful to them all.
Anita M. Swan on sat 23 mar 02
Joyce, I, too, benefitted greatly from Cameron's book. I just read thr=
ough it again, in the hopes of breaking through my current "funk" - the w=
orst in recent memory. I have the ideas, the skills and plenty of sketch=
es and drawings, but I can't make myself go out to the studio. I do teac=
h middle school art 3/4 time (I have multiple sclerosis and 3/4 is almost=
more than I can manage right now). I just can't get out there - and hav=
en't since Christmas!. I didn't apply to my usual shows this year, took =
a 6 month sabbatical from the co-op gallery I belong to - just can't figu=
re out what the hell is going on. Depression? Fatigue? Laziness? I ha=
ve so much I want to do, just for myself, not even to sell - a sushi set,=
tile surround for the wood stove, sink for the bathroom.... just can't m=
ake myself do it. I've tried cleaning the place. - now I have a clean, u=
nused studio. Wondered if anyone out there has any other books? ideas? =
suggestions? I just bought a new kiln in the fall - would hate to think=
that now that I finally have it I'm not going to work in clay anymore! =
Maybe I just need to start doing 'morning pages' again....Nita
Arnold Howard on sun 24 mar 02
You can find some amazing answers to problems by writing the
question at the top of a page and then letting the answer write
itself. I got that idea from Artist's Way, and from my sister, a
textile artist.
When I used this idea, I would find myself writing the answers to
questions as fast as I could write, page after page. I believe the
answer comes from the subconscious mind.
As for Anita's funk: sometimes inspiration comes only after the
work has begun. Have you tried forcing yourself to go to the studio
to make something--anything--in clay?
Arnold Howard
Paragon
--- "Anita M. Swan" wrote:
> Joyce, I, too, benefitted greatly from Cameron's book. I just
> read through it again, in the hopes of breaking through my
> current "funk" - the worst in recent memory. I have the ideas,
> the skills and plenty of sketches and drawings, but I can't make
> myself go out to the studio. I do teach middle school art 3/4
> time (I have multiple sclerosis and 3/4 is almost more than I can
> manage right now). I just can't get out there - and haven't
> since Christmas!. I didn't apply to my usual shows this year,
> took a 6 month sabbatical from the co-op gallery I belong to -
> just can't figure out what the hell is going on. Depression?
> Fatigue? Laziness? I have so much I want to do, just for
> myself, not even to sell - a sushi set, tile surround for the
> wood stove, sink for the bathroom.... just can't make myself do
> it. I've tried cleaning the place. - now I have a clean, unused
> studio. Wondered if anyone out there has any other books?
> ideas? suggestions? I just bought a new kiln in the fall -
> would hate to think that now that I finally have it I'm not going
> to work in clay anymore! Maybe I just need to start doing
> 'morning pages' again....Nita
>
>
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