This was my first post.
‘I have joined The Artists Way blog as I am still exploring art, and would like to continue this exciting journey. I hope to gain more confidence with my creativity, rather than hold back, which I often do. ‘
In addition to the above, I wanted to find ways and time to be more creative and to have the confidence to call myself an artist. I still can’t call myself an artist, however after 13 weeks of TAW and some creativity in between, I feel I am getting closer to it.
Each week’s reading of TAW had a little tip or task that enriched my creative life a little more. Sometimes they were a little too challenging, like the reading deprivation task. However, I am finding myself wanting to read less and watch less TV so I have more time to create. So maybe that task was not so bad after all. I also found ‘filling the form’ to be a powerful too in getting artistic tasks done faster.
I have begun not to hold back. Often when I find myself doing that, I repeat to myself, ‘don’t hold back, just do it and explore’. Because of this, I have taken small steps and at times strides in my creative life. I am sketching weekly, and as a result and keeping in mind ‘filling the form’ I am working towards a series of paintings which I hope will end up as an exhibition in Tokyo or Utsunomiya towards the end of the year. But first little steps.
Thank you The Artist Way and everyone who participated in this course.
Wonderful post! I think you reflect why many of us began the Artists Way and how we feel having completed it.
This is the first time I have completed TAW – and I’m so glad that I did! There is the momentum that I gained by moving forward and especially having support from the group.
I too have begun taking little steps – finally decided on one art book among so many to begin working with – and I’m working through it without quiting – no matter how “good” or “bad” I think I’m doing.
What is important is geting out there are trying – walking towards artist.
I agree, great post! This is my first time completing TAW and I am happy I did it with you guys and Julia by my side. I have to admit that I’ve been “over ambitious” if there’s such a thing, and now feel like I have too many balls juggling. I’ve got two articles to re-write and a book to work on and just thinking about it is starting to overwhelm me. I just have to remind myself that this is supposed to be FUN. I’m going to sit down and re-focus this week instead of being all over the place, so I can get my creativity back in the flow since finishing week 12.
Rebecca: I love what you said, “Walking towards artist.” Well put!
Great post and good for you to be drawing every week!
This was the first time I worked with this program also, and I am glad that I was able to complete it-no doubt due to all the support from this blog, and just the fact of doing it with others helped,too.
Gosh,where do you all live that it shows a timestamp a couple of hours ahead of me? It is not 5:12 p.m. here in IN and the earliest comment is 6:35 p.m. LOL!
Like Dawnturzio, I’m wondering if I’m overly ambitious. I almost feel like a firecracker with all the ideas that are sparking. I actually requested a week’s vacation today at the end of this month so I can get my personal life back in order. I’ve been so busy that every flat surface in my house is covered and there is no room to do any of the lovely things I want to do!
And yet…..the inspiration is life-giving. I’m determined to follow through with the projects already in motion and if it means I have to take a week off to declutter my house so that I can pursue them, then so be it.
I agree this is a wonderful post and probably expresses the outlook many of us had coming into TAW and at completion.
Gina
Lovely post!
I am really thankful that I stumbled onto KB’s thread about TAW on Etsy and so glad that I decided to go out and get the book and participate with you all.
I’ve always had a tough time with patience (and life continues to try to teach me this lesson over and over), so I’m still struggling a bit with only taking baby steps. However, I’m conscious of it and I recently caught myself trying to do more than my skill allowed and experienced the inevitable frustration – that’s when I stepped away for a while and realized that I needed to simplify the project or put it away until I had the knowledge to do it the way I wanted. I ended up simplifying it and actually learned a lot from the process. Success!
It’s great to see that the momentum is continuing for you all and it will be exciting to see what we get up to from here on out!
Great post, Jase. And CONGRATS on the possibility of the exhibit in Tokyo or Utsunomiya. Wahoo! Can’t wait to hear more about that!
I’m in week 4, so there is hope?!