Artist Brain Jam

Today I need to blog about "Artist's Brain Jam" as opposed to "Artist's Block".
  
I think of artist's block as an experience of being in the doldrums, a place of 
no motion where the creative flow, like wind and water around a ship, is still and heavy.  Becalmed.  There is a feeling of not knowing what to do.

In contrast "Artist's Brain Jam" is when the flow of ideas, images, techniques, alluring supplies and materials, all completing for attention, swirl around me like a hurricane.  I find myself able to focus for fleeting moments on bright colors and shapes as they rocket past me.

How did I get to this state?  Part of it was feeling like I had a little more free time this summer and asking myself what I wanted to do with that time.  Hmmmm.  Learn to sew better and make some art quilts (got a new-to-me sewing machine); get an easel and go back to oil painting in the garage (bought a new-to-me studio easel); try some new mixed media techniques; take a couple online classes.  Oh, and unpack from my recent move, finish the three books I've started writing, finish designing and producing the online classes I want to teach on three different platforms.

Then I signed up for 21 Secrets. 21 mini-workshops, each with a different

artist/teacher teaching multiple mixed media art techniques.  Open until

the end of the year.  Oh, and, like a dieter left alone with a plate of

lovely cookies, I signed up for a class on Craftsy plus added 10 or so classes

to my wish list there.  Also signed up for Juliana Cole's League of Extraordinary Journalers, MaryBeth Shaw's Stencil Club as well as a Soul Collage workshop.

  

Plus somehow I joined a dozen or so artist's facebook groups.  Oh, and there were those courses with the amazing Joanne Sharpe as well as the astounding Jane LaFazio.  Might take that one course from Pam Carriker and Craftsy just emailed me to say they would like to offer a sale price on one of the courses on my wish list.

Know that Zen story of the centipede and toad?  I think I first read this

anonymously penned tale in Alan Watts book The Way of Zen.

The centipede was happy quite
Until a toad in fun
Said, 'Pray, which leg comes after which?'
This raised her mind to such a pitch,
She lay distracted in a ditch,
Considering how to run.

My brain feels like that now--flat on my back with legs and arms waving in a distracted way.  Gee, who did this to me?  Note to self: don't leave my

artist self alone with a credit card and the internet on payday.  All those

brightly colored candy jars are just too attractive to resist.

Of course some good will come from my personal indulgence. Probably a little nap will help with my overwhelm headache.  Here's something, although still on lesson one of Valerie Sjodin's Embellishing Edges and Text. My first page popped out from that workshop, below.

"One day you finally knew what you had to do and began."  Mary OliverPencil, Pitt Pen, brush markers and Gelly Roll metallic pensfrench curves to shape the right edge of the page.

Flowers perhaps inspired by my trip yesterday to "The Enchanted Gardens Tour of Northwest Denver".  But the face was a surprise.  I started with the shaped edge of this page and then worked along the upper, lower and left edge.  Next I added the quote, a find from my sketchbook.  The negative space suggested
a face.  She looks like a cartoon of a Flemish portrait, the queen of hearts
and my niece.  Makes me want to start painting a few Matisse style portraits,
something I did in art school.  For the last years I've been focused on
botanical imagery.  Good advice from Mary:  let yourself finally know how
to proceed (at home) rather than frantically traveling to foreign lands (or workshops) seeking wisdom and inspiration.  Trust that you will know.

Finally, I want to include the Chuck Close video linked below.

I'm inspired by the CBS interview of Chuck Close, part of their "Notes to Self Series".  So many great statements about how and why to engage in the artistic process. And one of the places that true to you ideas and inspiration comes from.  I've blogged about this video and these pages before, but needed to include these thoughts in this blog about being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of artistic ideas available to us online. Chuck reminds me to show up and engage in the process and see where it takes me. That the true learning and access to fresh ideas most often comes for the work itself.  

Don't need to buy a ton of shiny new art supplies or sign up for 30 classes.

Do check out an online class or two, but pace yourself.  And print out your
craft store coupon of the week and see what one item you can buy with it. 

I'm learning to practice moderation.  Let this be an artist's moral tale. Keep those feet on the ground. Take your creative self to the studio (however small or temporary it may be).  Look inside, not in an anxious way, but through turning your curiosity towards an exploration of what comes out of your artistic process itself.

Mandala Flower Doodles on Envelopes

Mandala Flower Doodles

Tombo and Martha Stewart brush markers,

Pitt Pen, business envelopes

Something has come together for me recently.  I've been doodling

mandalas for many years.  All my day timers, papers and notebooks

are decorated with mandala doodles.  Not consciously "art", just

doodles.  In my "real art" life I've been going to the Botanic Garden

in Denver and drawing flowers, my favorite thing.  As I'm writing

this I realize that this is like my art and doodling during art school.

In the studio I was painting in a Neo Expressionist style and in

private I made botanical sketches.  Hmmmm.  

Know it has a lot to do with what is artistically intuitive and natural

and what is considered "legitimate" art.  Not sure what it means

but I had a revelation when I posted my mandala flower sketch on

the Dion Dior's facebook page Wisdom Circles.  Without thinking I

wrote "Wisdom Grows". Caused a psychic shiver.  Something about

drawing and painting and doodling the circular shapes of flowers

connects parts of myself as well as petals and stems.

Gifts of the Muse Journal Pages: It's OK to Go Inside

Credit card scraped acrylic background, stenciled acrylic spirals

with Tombo Marker detail. Clipped out raised wall-paper scrap colored

with stamp ink, spray ink, Tombos. Magazine clips of sea vegetation.

"It's OK to Go Inside" page left

Recollections "snow" opaque marker, Pitt Pen, Office Max metallic marker
fish cut-outs recycled from copy of my prayer flags

"It's OK to Go Inside" page right

Recollections "snow" opaque marker, Pitt Pen, Office Max metallic marker
fish cut-outs recycled from copy of my prayer flags

In my visual art journaling group I've been opening each session with a 

guided imagery taking us down to a garden to meet with our creativity

muse.  In our meetings we've asked to receive a symbolic gift (like a shell,

etc.) or a message of insight and encouragement.  I've begun to call this

activity "Gifts of the Muse".  In this group my muse (yes, I meet with my

muse while doing the guided imagery) reassured me that "It's OK to

go into your shell".  I do a number of extrovert seeming things in the

world like teaching in the classroom and running groups but I am a

dyed-in-the-wool introvert.  In the US the extrovert rules and sometimes

I feel guilty or weak because I need alone time and become exhausted

when I overextend myself in the outer world.

I recently showed my psychology class this great Susan Cain

TED Talk about introversion.  

http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html

It reminded me about how our culture treats introverts like failed

extroverts.  Introverts need to remember the gifts available to 

those who turn inside to be inspired and energized.  Because I am

blogging for creatives and we tend to be an unusual and thoughtful lot

I just wanted to share my muse's words:

It's OK to be an Introvert

It's OK to be Reflective

It's OK to Think and Dream

Go inside

It's OK to go into your shell

Go inside. 

More Envelope Art

My first envelope doodles this year, markers and Pitt pens.

Doodled mandala flowers with curly-Q's. Pitt pen, markers.

Close up from envelope above.  I really like the wavy lines and curlies.

I signed up for 21 Secrets this year when it first opened.  I've only had a chance to do the first
assignment in Ro Bruhn's "Flower Power" workshop.  In her workshop we were asked to make
flower doodles on the inside of business envelopes.  This background was used in order to add
interest to our drawings with the envelope security patterns.

I think this series of envelope doodles is interesting in terms of my various styles.  The first
doodles seem blobby and overworked.  After experimenting a bit I was more relaxed,
happy, playful.  I returned to my usual mandala flower doodles and even tried a curly wavy line
around my final doodle.

I'm not sure what it all means but it is interesting that my doodles progress during my three attempts.
Makes me think about how useful it is to warm up, experiment, relax and play, and persist.  Also
love the up-cycling of business window envelopes.  Life gives you phone bills?  Answer the call to creativity.

Prayer Flag ARTsignment

Rice paper with stencils and spray ink over Gelli Plate monprint (acrylic)
Details of Koi and lily pads with Twinkling H2Os.

Rice paper with stencils and spray ink over Gelli Plate monprint (acrylic)
Details of Koi and lily pads with Twinkling H2Os.

Rice paper with stencils and spray ink over Gelli Plate monprint (acrylic)
Details of Koi and lily pads with Twinkling H2Os.

I am going to start blogging about  ARTsignments that I've created.  This one has to do with creating prayer flags

to fly to put your prayers "out there" to the universe.  Also serves as a great visual reminder.

In the text of the activity I've referred to "your client" but I think that this will be an activity you can do yourself.

My prayer flags, which I haven't written on yet or permanently attached a ribbon to, are about aligning with

what it means being in "Flow" for me.  I have an affinity to lovely Koi and water as well.  When you complete

this ARTsignment please leave a comment below about the insights you gained from this process.

Prayer Flag ARTsignment

Gayle Bodine April 23^rd, 2013

Introduction

This ARTsignment is based on the idea of Buddhist Prayer Flags and Vivika Hansen DeNegre’s

Prayer Flag Project.  Vivika was inspired by the Tibetan prayer flags that her family hung

in their home.  Here’s how Vivika describes it:

“My family has several strings of flags hanging in our home... not because we are Buddhist

or even know what the writing or symbols upon the colored fabrics mean, but because they

are beautiful and a reverent reminder that our prayers are heard and answered.  In a

nutshell, it is believed that the prayers on the flags are lifted to God and spread throughout

the universe as they flutter in the wind.  Everyone who is touched by that wind,

is touched by the prayers.  The wind spreads the prayers through the world,

extending happiness, good will, and peace”.
http://theprayerflagproject.blogspot.com/p/project-overview.html

Vivika suggests a 5” X 8” rectangle of fabric (I used rice paper) with 3” folded over on the

short end to make a pocket for string to hang the flag.  One can use twine, ribbon, etc.

for hanging them.  The pocket can be closed with a line of stitching, hot glue or duct tape.

Instructions

A person’s prayers or heartfelt wishes are often closely related to the Principles they hope

to enliven in their lives.  In this ARTsignment the client can activate what they wish to

manifest through the creation of a prayer artifact. 

1.     Talk about prayers and heartfelt wishes.  Talk and/or write about prayers that s/he would like to send into the world.  Alternatively ask your client to choose one of the ARTbundance Principle cards from the coaching room deck that they would like to explore through the making of a prayer flag.

2.    Use rice paper, paper cloth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrV03y0R0yE
or light weight fabric like muslin.  Cut rectangles approximately 5 “ X 8”. 

3.    Fold over and sew, glue or tape an approximately 3” pocket for hanging your flag.

4.    Decorate your flag using paint, collage, spray ink and stencils or your medium of choice.

5.    Write your prayer on your (fully dried) flag with permanent marker or fabric paints with applicators designed for a fine line.

6.    Discuss sending this prayer out on the wind as well as displaying it.  Journal about what this means.

7.    Your client’s prayer flag(s) can be a visual reminder to give energy to the Principles and goals that are of meaningful to them.  You could also suggest that your client make a prayer flag for each one of the Principles.

8.    Your client can also connect with healing community through this activity by making a flag for themselves and also one to be hung with others in the ARTbundance workshop.  The client could also submit an image of their flag to the Prayer Flag Project.  http://theprayerflagproject.blogspot.com/p/how-to-participate.html

side note: the Koi images were stenciled on.  I made a cardboard stencil from my Koi drawings.

Finding Flow as an Artist

My Creativity Muse "Flo"

Detail of Flo's Teacups

Drawing with Associations (my invention) Style Mind-map

I suppose some might have wondered about the drawing of a genie that I use as my profile picture on facebook.

She came out of a creativity coaching training I have been in since July 11, 2012.  I worked on this training every

week until around September, then got distracted by changes in my job, a move, life in general.  Have decided this

week to finish up the training and go for certification as an ARTbundance Coach and Practitioner.  

I am actually already an art therapist (got my master's in 1989) but, after spending years working with women and

 children struggling with PTSD and other effects of childhood abuse, I realized I was struggling with my own

depression and secondary traumatization (also called compassion fatigue).  So I closed my art therapy office and

went to college teaching to support myself and my son.  It is now 11 or so years later and I am aching to return to

using creativity and art as an agent of healing and my primary source of income.  I kept my hand in as an artist

by making artsy scrapbooks, then artist cards (ATC).  Slowly, but surely art making has become central to my

life again.  I've taught botanical art classes for the last two years and as an art teacher and artist, in any spare

moment I have continued to connect to healing through self expression.

Back to the image of my inner creativity muse.  In the first weeks of the ARTbundance training we were

asked to "Create and converse with an ARTbundance Muse".  I was no stranger to connecting with inner

resources and the idea of an artist's muse but was eager to create a personal image related to this idea.

That's how "Flo" was born.  Of course my subconscious sprang into action to provide me with cues and 

clues for connecting with the source of my creative expression.  I love Flo because she reminds me of so

many things, one that the genie appears to manifest wishes when the tea pot is properly warmed and tea is

correctly brewed.  For me this represents mindfulness meditation, like a tea ceremony, serving others

and myself through contemplative steps.  

Once the genie appeared, in my image, I could see what she is holding in her right hand.  It is an artist's 

palette, and from it grows a body of work related to nature.  I was surprised that the books I want to write

and my ability to "fill my cup" and the cups of others comes from my work as an artist.  Many art therapists

and artists know this well, although it is easy to forget, that authentic creativity is the source of creative

expression, inspiration and healing.  

I lost my steam (ha, that's a pun) before the training ended in October of 2012.  Now I am picking up the 

missing pieces and finishing assignments.  I started with reviewing notes and making a list of tasks to complete.

In week 13 I was supposed to create a way to gauge connection to my source of core motivation. 

Marney Markridakis (founder of ARTbundance) calls this your "ultimate motivator" or "OH!" or One Hunger.

Guess one could also call it your purpose or source of passion.  The "OH!dometer" I was to create gauges how

 connected you are to the way you want to feel everyday.  

I decided that the way I want to feel every day is in FLOW.  You may also know it as being "in the zone".

I am a great supporter of Positive Psychology, the psychological approach that focuses on what works, the

gifts of individuals, and how happy and successful people respond to life.  One proponent of this approach is

Mihaly Csikszentmicalyi who writes about Finding Flow.   The assignment asked me to brainstorm the

things I can do when I don't feel connected to my OH!.  So I asked "What fills my cup"?  

I ended up enlarging the tea cup portion of my muse drawing and making it into a "drawing with associations".

I found a reminder of the activities that are essential to keep me in my flow.  They are: meditation, time in the studio 

making art, time in nature, exercise and healthful eating, seeing beauty in the world, being grateful and staying

connected to my wild heart.  I was surprised that writing turned out to be an activity right up there with

mediation in terms of fueling flow.  So I'm writing to you tonight.

   

Visual Art Journal Exchange

Visual Art Journal Exchange Cover and Back

Duct taped back, Wood Icing leaves with Stencil Girl Stencil, Distress Stain and Gold Marker 

My friend Lisa, who lives in Nebraska, and I are going to exchange our 5 X 7 Strathmore Visual Journals.  The plan:  I fill a few pages in my journal, and hers and send both journals to her.  She fills a few pages in my journal and hers, then sends both back to me.  This way we both end up with a journal to keep.

Along the way we can inspire each other with new ideas and techniques and share some snippets of our lives.  I want to show Lisa what I'm up to and want to know what she's up to artistically as well.  

In this digital age it's great to see the work of others electronically, but nothing beats the experience of holding and looking at actual pieces that others have created.  Sort of the same, for me, as seeing great art in books and then getting the opportunity to see those same pieces face to face.

What I'm up to: embracing Spring and appreciating new beginnings and new growth.  Experimenting with stencils and Wood Icing, trying new materials.  Trying to practice compassion and grow spiritually as well as artistically.  Working from images that inspire me, working in layers.  

We are just beginning so just sending my journal off, tomorrow, for the first time.  Can't wait to see what

Lisa creates!