I spent the evening painting and listening to Jamie Ridler’s Your Creative Spark recordings.  I’ve wanted to get them for awhile, so I used some Christmas money and treated myself.

These interviews are awesome.   I found myself laughing, crying, laugh/crying.  And to hear Goddess Leonie’s voice and sit through the short meditation with her was really moving.  So many women out there doing creative things.  It EXCITES me.  It’s so comforting to know that I’m not alone and to benefit from their experience and what they have learned.

What I love is that each creative path is different.  Some people are really into the ritual of it.  Others are more:  show up, sit down and do the work.  There is no one path.  It’s all in finding what works for you.

Some things I came away with:

1. I am very much a show up and do the work person.  Yes, I have my special mug and my headphones, but need to make sure I show up to the canvas, everyday, no matter what.  Even on days when I don’t feel like it.  Because a)  that’s the only way I’ll ever grow and b)  usually I feel better within 10 minutes of starting.
2. Do one thing every day that scares you.
3. No dream is lame!
4. Be in touch with your body.
5. Do what feels true for you.  Follow your heart.
6. Reach out to people – like minded souls are out there!

Things I totally related to:

1. I totally relate to just having TOO many ideas.  I feel overwhelmed.  Like I’ll never get them out, like I’ll never get them down.  And then there are the ideas that I just don’t feel skilled enough to really accomplish right now.
2. Getting caught up in what everyone else is doing.  I start feeling like I’ll never be as good as this person or that person, so I might as well just not try.  I feel like I’ll never be able to shade or layer or do detail as well as real painters.  That all my stuff is just simplistic and silly.  These are the voices that start playing in my head.  I have to learn to do a little “Yes Dear” at them and sit down and do my own thing anyway.
3. I really feel what Jen Lemen was saying about being a baby artist.  And it goes back to how overwhelmed I was feeling by all the fun classes and workshops and book projects that are being offered out there on the web.  They all look like so much fun and I’m sure I’d get a lot out of them.  Now is not the time!  Now is also not the time to be worried about whether I should start an Etsy shop or whatever.  Now is the time to hole up in my little art room and just do my thing.  Do it, do it and keep doing it.
4. I know how to refill the well!  Sometimes after I finish a couple of paintings, and I’m not ready to start anything new, I like to just take a week to read, peruse the library, do some arty web surfing.
5. I LOVE MY PROJECT JOURNAL!  My idea drawings are the ugliest little stick figure things you ever did see, but I like having them there.  Like little fish in my creative pond.

I seriously feel like just listening to these recordings over and over while I paint.  It makes me so happy!!!

A VERY FANCY idea drawing - HAHA! Isn't that great?