My good friend Mish suggested that I pick up this book:

So, I headed her word and bought it this weekend.  I have been looking for an inspirational art read for a while now so it was perfect really.  The last one similar to it that I read (and have re-read over and over) was:

Art & Fear was is an excellent resource for kicking oneself into gear and as a general reminder that art is not meant to be easy.  The joy is in the challenge.  Anyway, I digress... I just started reading The War of Art and already I am hooked.  All it took was the introduction to strike a chord.  I know the kind of book it will be - I will read with hungry intensity, gripping the pages thinking, "Yes! Yes! YES!  I GET that.  That is ME.  Steven Pressfield, you are just SO RIGHT."  I will feel tearing guilt at how unmotivated I can sometimes be, an overwhelming urge to follow his advice RIGHT NOW, TODAY, and then comes the crushing reality that I may never grasp onto the dedication/conviction/DISCIPLINE that I need to in order to do what it is that I really WANT to do.  Here are some excerpts about The Unlived Life:

Most of us live two lives.  The life we live, and the unlived life within us.  Between the two stands Resistance. 

Resistance defeats us.  If tomorrow morning by some stroke of magic every dazed and benighted soul woke up with the power to take the first step toward pursuing his or her dreams, every shrink in the directory would be out of business.  

Look in your own heart.  Unless I'm crazy, right now a still small voice is piping up, telling you as it has ten thousand times, the calling that is yours and yours alone.  You know it.  No one has to tell you.  And unless I'm crazy, you're no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow.  You think resistance isn't real?  Resistance will bury you.

Shit, Mr. Pressfield.  Shit shit shit.  I'm halfway underground and you've got me pegged.  Resistance comes in many forms for me - Breyer's cherry vanilla ice cream, Etsy.com, pulling a piece of yarn around the house to amuse the cats, baking cupcakes, making delicious vegetarian dinners, playing some kind of hilarious pseudo Fung Shui game around the apartment, watching the entire Seinfeld series, falling asleep, cleaning, crafting, writing Sunday night blog entries about the minuscule 7 pages I just read, etc...  While I have gotten (at least I think) much better this year on staying focused on a few things.... --- Wait.  Who am I kidding.  That's a lie.  About six unnecessary distraction-based activities popped into my head that are on my plate right now.  --- Why IS it so hard to stay focused on those things we really want to accomplish?  It is because we actually don't want them as badly as we think?  Is it because we are unable?  Do we fear failure and therefore stop before we start to avoid it?  I am looking forward to seeing whether or not Mr. Steven P will answer these questions and give me a solution.  I will pretend for now that an answer will all come out neatly packaged, gift-wrapped, and tied with a fancy ribbon.  I know the truth is no matter how good this book shapes up to be, that wont be the case.  Maybe he will give me something though, something to work with, something to push me a little further...  am I at that edge yet?  Am I only steps away from an unshakable practice that is disciplined and confident in direction?  I hope so, but I'm not sure.  Maybe if I pretend I believe that, it will be true.  I'll let you know how the book turns out.  I have a feeling what was supposed to be my winter-break reading material will be done within the week. 


And yeah, I guess I am writing now on my "art" blog.  That darned Thanksgiving post got me hooked.  Just don't let the word-picture ratio get too unbalanced on the word side... or that will be clear evidence that Resistance really is burying me.


And I will leave you with: 

Study for 24 x 36 painting... Another concept brewing at the same time; more later.

NOW THROUGH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28th use the coupon code STUFFED2011 for 20% OFF your purchase at my Etsy Shop!

With the holidays quickly approaching, the second half of my life - the part where art is so rudely shoved aside - is becoming increasingly busier.  I couldn't tell you exactly how; I try to prevent these things from happening, but alas I am just another victim of too much to do, not enough time (I say this lightly, but this fast paced reality is a serious problem in our society - although I'm sure you are already aware).  Looking at my calendar for the week ahead, I will be busy with lesson planning, example-making, (gift)crafting, cooking (I'm officially contributing to Thanksgiving dinner this year!  We are bringing Navajo stew, mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, and homemade applesauce.), and lots of family time.  I can't believe that it will be the month of December in a little over a week.  I already know that it will just fly by - lots of family members' birthdays, time with friends, that inevitable white stuff that will fall from the sky, wrapping up things at school before winter break, and topping it all off with a week in (hopefully) sunny Florida visiting with family - I feel like I am already saying Where did the time go!  I am going to do my best to squeeze some drawing in there at least.  I've got ideas brewing for another big painting...  Anyway, I'm sorry I don't have any pretty pictures to share today, but I thought I would pop in and say 'hello' to my little art blog...  Make sure you know I've been thinking of ya.

Oh, and if I don't see you until afterwards,

Happy T(of)urkey Day!

I hope your holiday is full of warmth, love, yummy food, happiness, and many blessings.

Just in case there is anyone who happens upon my blog who I don't connect with on Facebook or Twitter, check out my new Etsy shop!  

This went much faster than I expected!
Tape is off of both and just some tiny adjustments and I'll be on to my next project : )

B/W seems so much simpler and simultaneously more complex to orchestrate after using full color...

Portrait Progress...  a few changes to make, excited to start a new one in graphite!

Another attempt at lake superior on a slightly larger scale (8 x 10) - I don't like it.

Blank slate for a new painting... this one is a request from my Mom. 

Just messing around to pass the time... maybe I'll finish it, maybe not...

I'm felling frustrated tonight... can you tell?  I feel like I was on a roll with the Superior paintings - they were just flowing out.  And I was really happy with the botanical portraits and the direction those were going.  Now, the Superior paintings already feel like they are coming to an end (although I'm still going to attempt a large panoramic painting on birch for better or for worse) and I can't finish Emily's picture (I need more time to soak in its current state) or start a new one (can't find inspiration in a starting point - I've got ideas for a figure and potential pose/composition but it isn't clicking yet).  I don't like feeling stuck.  I'm going to bed and hoping for a better day tomorrow.  Hmph.

One of my (too many) current projects is to start working on some traditional portraiture again.  I began this piece with colored pencil and am going to also do a second piece in graphite.  It has been a long time since I've really delved into detail pencil work and I am finding it difficult to tap into the patience that I used to have for this kind of drawing.  Music is helping (today it was Blue Roses), but I definitely can only sit down to work for small chunks of time and if the mood is right.  Regardless, I am enjoying the process and feel a nice sense of accomplishment if I manage to really sink into this mode of making.

In terms of where I am with my other work right now, I am brainstorming ideas for another botanical portrait (I guess that is what I'll call that series for now) that will be in a new, rectangular format, and plan to continue with the superior pieces which I have found to be a great escape for me when I get stuck.  It keeps the flow going nicely and allows me to chug along even when I'm stuck on something else.

Time to watch an episode of Seinfeld with my Love before bed and another busy day tomorrow!

As a side note, I feel like my words are jumbled and I can't get them organized or to flow.  I must have spent all my brainpower on drawing.  Sorry. 

I'm not so sure this idea works in a larger size... Or maybe I just need multiples... hmmm...

Simple yet major changes to both of these today... The right one is finished, but I will probably play with the left one a little more.