Joyce Lee on sat 23 mar 02
Thank you for the helpful and caring posts I've received in response to =
my post about The Artist's Way ... which was in response to Cindi A.'s =
post re the same topic. Thank you, Cindi. Some of you've asked if I've =
done all the exercises etc.
I feel a bit fraudulent because I did not do the exercises...not any of =
them. I found that just attempting to follow such a schedule (which =
works fine for many folk) slaughtered the personal creativity I'd been =
trying to develop. Sooo, I kept Cameron's book available, scanned it =
regularly, in no particular order; if I found it boring that day, I quit =
reading. Most days for quite a long period I did receive a jolt of=20
enthusiasm and a spurt of hope that I too could find a "spiritual path =
to higher creativity"....
however, I wasn't looking for something "spiritual" and any measure of =
"creativity" would do.... forget the "higher."=20
Most of the chapters that dealt with a "sense of power" or "recovering a =
sense of identity," for example, were interesting since I'd never =
thought of such areas as being a problem ..... if I wanted something, I =
worked at achieving it; if I still didn't get it, I worked harder. But, =
tell you the truth, I don't think that "working harder" or even working =
smarter (which was my mantra as an administrator.... Work smarter, not =
harder....) is much aid in finding one's creative energy. I'm aware =
that my credibility is minuscule in this area, but personally I feel =
that all my reading&talking&musing&chestpounding is beneficial... it IS =
about clay, after all, and probably does make me a better potter, maybe =
even a better satisfied potter........... within major limitations. At =
this point in my potters life, I believe (after 10 hours in the studio =
today..... yea for me! Joyce - 10; Interference - zip) that Just Do It =
is very good advice .... right now I'm letting those magic moments come =
when they come. I'm playing music, lots of music, throwing as loosely as =
I can, keeping inspirational tidbits around but not whole books ... they =
smother me and I AM a Book Person, a Heavy Duty Book Person, Big Time =
.... but in this search for a creative spark (forget a Voice of My Own =
.... drat. How much are we to expect of ourselves in one lifetime?) I =
take a break with any of the videotapes I have (today it was Nils').... =
let the tapes start where they start.... don't try to learn from them... =
just watchin and listening.... with Nils you don't even have to listen =
that much .... the tapes are mostly Nils throwing ... period..... =
graceful, harmonious,
peaceful ......
Compassion, strength, autonomy ..... all qualities to be sought, yes. =
But when we begin saying that Money is God in Action... not that money =
can contribute to God in Action..... but IS.... we're very akin to =
saying that those of us who are economically wealthy are somehow better =
than other folks..... not just richer, but Better ... and that the rich =
are by definition more creative...... well, you can bet that my interest =
has waned......=20
Sooo, yes, The Artist's Way is "a course in discovering and recovering =
your creative self"..... as a course, from my perspective, it sucks. As =
a concentrated load of tidbits of inspirational reminders that could =
lead us to think about who we are and how we got here from there, it's =
helpful. Some of the quotes are magnificent.
Joyce
In the Mojave in a ramblin' mood today.. probably nobody's reading at =
this point.. way it goes......
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