I just got back from a closet raid. There are clothes piled all over the foot of my bed--discard pile, maybe pile… nothing in the YES pile yet. And I haven’t even started looking for shoes or makeup and jewelry yet!
How do we girls do this? Putting ourselves together for a first date is like decorating the damned Christmas tree! Or worse because you don’t take the Christmas ornaments, lights and tinsel off a thousand times until you get it just right.
From makeup to hair, nails, the colors I choose for my outfit and shoes… Every little detail counts. I, in effect, become a piece of walking talking artwork.
It’s one thing to have an artistic vision. Many of us have great ideas floating around in our heads for artwork of one kind or another. But manifesting those ideas is the hard part, or the part where many people find an excuse to shelf the idea and forget about it.
Think of your artwork like a first date. First you have to get up the courage to ask your date out… (getting started is the hardest part sometimes for me.) You could get shot down before you even get off the ground. If you do get a yes, then you have to plan where you’ll go and what you’ll do. What you’ll wear, what you’ll say and even the kiss at the end… it all requires forthought, preparation, execution, and spontaneity.
Forethought: What are you going to wear? Where are you going? How are you getting there? How long will you be there? It’s second nature for us to consider these questions when we plan a date.
But the artistic questions might not seem as obvious. What is the art you want to create. What are you trying to accomplish with the artwork? What kind of profit is involved, and how much will you have to expend before the profit rolls in? How are you going to put the artwork out there? How are you going to make the art in the first place?
I’m going to use music, since that’s my artform, but substitute your art in wherever necessary. I start with a song. What does the song need to convey to the audience, and how will I make it do that? Chords, melody, rhythm, all have to flow together to create an overall impression. Is it a song I need other players for? How will I pay them? Where will we meet to practice/record or perform?
You get the idea. There’s so many parts to planning artwork. But details are where it’s at.
Preparation: Getting dressed, doing my hair. Be sexy, but not slutty. What color should my outfit be? Does the color choice and cut of the clothes accentuate my good points and hide my imperfections? What colors should I use for my makeup? Hair up or down? Shoes—is he taller than me, or can I get away with heels? Should I make him wait just a little, or be ready right on time?
Again, details make the impression; the more put together and organized your artwork, the better it will be received. The more rehearsed the musicians are prior to hitting the studio, the tighter the sound will be. How are the instruments mixed? are the right people on the project? Is that the right feel for this song? Does the whole song flow well? What kind of snare do I want for this song, tight, or deep and ringing? Even the smallest detail matters.
As you are putting together your artwork, or considering how to put it together, remember that art is a growth process and requires one very special ingredient that snags most people.
Execution: From answering the door, to conversation over dinner, to leaning in for a kiss good night and going out on the date in the first place, a date takes execution and desire. Without that, you’re left home alone on a Saturday night.
Execution is the most important part of artwork. Get out there and just do it! You’ll never know unless you try. Even the best grammy-winning musicians make mistakes (and I have the tapes to prove it!) It takes a thousand wrong notes to hit the right one. Give yourself room to mess up, room to grow, and the chance to do both.
My makeup might not be perfect, but at least I’m trying. This guy might not be my eternal mate, but we’re having a good time. The movie was awful, but at least the food’s good! Art requires fluidity and flexibility from you. Things might not turn out just the way you envisioned them, but that is the fun of life.
Roll with it, and let the artwork happen to you, not the other way around.
Art is an experience in living. You could go on the date wearing Prada and Burberry, or you could go wearing a no-name designer that was within your budget, and really brings out your personality and your coloring. You could do what everyone else is doing artistically, or you could find your own voice and take a little longer to achieve success. Just because your art isn’t the hottest thing out there doesn’t mean it won’t be. And it certainly doesn’t mean you’re right or wrong. Those concepts are null and void in art. There is no right or wrong. It will either fit with what people want right now, or it won’t. It all depends on your execution, and the reception you get.
The execution is your job, the reception belongs to your date or the audience. You may be drop-dead gorgeous, but your date may prefer blonds. You may detest the food, but your date may be in seventh heaven over your eyes, and not notice a thing he’s eating.
Which brings up my last point. Learn to let go of your artwork. Once you’ve done all you can, let your audience do the rest.
I may have a wonderful first date tomorrow night, or it might be a bust. All I can do is prepare, be present, and let God and fate do the rest. Have fun with your artwork, enjoy what it brings you, and don’t be afraid to just watch what happens.
I’m gonna look gorgeous, I’m going to enjoy myself, and if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.
So get your art done right, enjoy yourself, and then kiss it goodbye and let it fly.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go re-organize my closet and clean up this mess!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Prune the Tree, Harvest the Fruit: the Cultivation of Artistic Space
I’m on a balcony overlooking a beautiful pool. A mockingbird is sitting in a tree nearby, crooning out the most beautiful song. There’s a soft Pacific breeze playing with my hair, and children are laughing and splashing in the pool below me. I can hear the rustle of nearby leaves like a lullaby. It’s overcast, and the sun is just barely touching my face, disappearing behind scudding clouds every now and then. I like it best when it’s cloudy like this, cool and breezy, quiet and a little moody.
I often come up here to write, to think, practice or just sit and meditate. It’s beautiful here, the true definition of west coast living. Around me, I can hear the beating heart of the city--cars on the freeway, planes, garden machinery humming, crows and sparrows arguing over who-knows-what…
Becoming more in tune with your artwork requires you to become more in tune with yourself, and with the world around you. The places I live and the people I meet often wander into my songs and stories in one way or another.
Most people wouldn’t see my neighborhood as a place for an artist, but surprisingly, there’s a lot of us living here. Actors, musicians, painters, dancers, models, photographers, all on our way up or down the mountain of artistic success. Most of us are somewhere in the middle; more than a few are a little jaded with the industry, but still in love with the process of creation.
I live in a unique neighborhood. It’s not uncommon to see horses walking around here from the nearby equestrian center. Squirrels, possums and raccoons sneak over from Griffith Park, and even a skunk or two shows up for an unexpected visit. It’s a place where neighbors know you by name, and drop in unannounced just to chat and bring you treats. They know my name at the local stores and restaurants; they doat on Kodak and know the latest in my life through the grapevine. My starbucks knows my favorite flavor of tea. My Jambajuice has my order ready for me when I walk in. It’s a place in the middle of a whirling cityscape, but somehow, it hovers just outside the big city rhythm, safe, comforting, paradisal in its simple friendly existence.
I’ve never lived in a small town before. In Arizona, neighbors mostly kept to themselves, moving in and out like gypsies. I knew a few of my neighbors, and I might get a smile here or there from clerks at the store who knew me, but for the most part, I stayed in my circle of friends and colleagues, and didn’t venture much outside of that, and neither did anyone else.
Stepping outside the normal boundaries of your life can be a huge asset to your creativity. Meeting people from all walks of life, brought together by circumstance is an opportunity we can’t afford to pass up. Change means growth, momentum, inner strength, breaking down resisting barriers, and opening our minds.
Ask yourself this question: When was the last time I opened my mind, and gave myself room to grow?
You might be very surprised by the answer.
Give yourself and your art room to grown,and a safe place to do the growing. It’s important to place ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally, in an area where growth isn’t something we intentionally do. It should happen naturally, like a tree.
We as humans, as artists, were given the blessings of growth, change and expression. If we bury those gifts, and let them stagnate in the rush of life--bills, worries, relationships--they’ll be like a seed beneath the snow, never able to emerge.
I love the book “The Secret Garden.” The garden lies dead and barren until Mary brushes away the ivy and finds the hidden door. She unlocks the door and begins tending the garden with loving care and attentiveness. Metaphorically speaking, the garden is your inner artist, your soul.
When was the lasttime you opened that hidden door, and snuck in to spend some quality time with yourself? You might have to do some serious pruning and weeding, and it might take a while to see sprouts poking their tiny heads out of the cold hard earth. But with enough love and care, any planted seed will grow.
Each of us requires different inner self-care. Whether you need beautiful colors around you, in your house or in nature, or you feel more at home with good music and lots of friends surrounding you, create that space for yourself. Actively go out and cultivate your garden this week. Find what makes you grow, opens you, allows you to receive the rain and sunlight, and reach for the Heavens and your utmost potential.
I love fragrances, warm familiar scents of flowers, fruits, and spices. I love unlocking my door, and walking into my house to find myself surrounded in the scents of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, white tea, citrus, or lilies. I love feeling beautiful, so I take the extra time to wear clothing and jewelry that makes me feel peaceful, happy, and successful. Reading allows me to step out of my world and into another for a while, so I read at night before I go to bed. I love teas and inhaling the fragrant steam, so I always have the kettle on and a cup of tea near me.
Spiritually, I grow when I’m at church. I love being with Church family and nurturing my spirit in God’s love and truth. Nothing is more miraculous to me than serving in the temple and studying the gospel of Christ. Prayer is a daily part of my existence, at all times, and in all things.
Second only to God, is my need to create, heal, and inspire. I do this through my music and my writing and my Yoga. If I do not create, I stagnate, I hurt, I fail to move forward in my life.
What things do yu do to care for your own inner artist? How do you inspire yourself, invigorate your art, and create an artistic space that allows you to grow and produce fruit?
I often come up here to write, to think, practice or just sit and meditate. It’s beautiful here, the true definition of west coast living. Around me, I can hear the beating heart of the city--cars on the freeway, planes, garden machinery humming, crows and sparrows arguing over who-knows-what…
Becoming more in tune with your artwork requires you to become more in tune with yourself, and with the world around you. The places I live and the people I meet often wander into my songs and stories in one way or another.
Most people wouldn’t see my neighborhood as a place for an artist, but surprisingly, there’s a lot of us living here. Actors, musicians, painters, dancers, models, photographers, all on our way up or down the mountain of artistic success. Most of us are somewhere in the middle; more than a few are a little jaded with the industry, but still in love with the process of creation.
I live in a unique neighborhood. It’s not uncommon to see horses walking around here from the nearby equestrian center. Squirrels, possums and raccoons sneak over from Griffith Park, and even a skunk or two shows up for an unexpected visit. It’s a place where neighbors know you by name, and drop in unannounced just to chat and bring you treats. They know my name at the local stores and restaurants; they doat on Kodak and know the latest in my life through the grapevine. My starbucks knows my favorite flavor of tea. My Jambajuice has my order ready for me when I walk in. It’s a place in the middle of a whirling cityscape, but somehow, it hovers just outside the big city rhythm, safe, comforting, paradisal in its simple friendly existence.
I’ve never lived in a small town before. In Arizona, neighbors mostly kept to themselves, moving in and out like gypsies. I knew a few of my neighbors, and I might get a smile here or there from clerks at the store who knew me, but for the most part, I stayed in my circle of friends and colleagues, and didn’t venture much outside of that, and neither did anyone else.
Stepping outside the normal boundaries of your life can be a huge asset to your creativity. Meeting people from all walks of life, brought together by circumstance is an opportunity we can’t afford to pass up. Change means growth, momentum, inner strength, breaking down resisting barriers, and opening our minds.
Ask yourself this question: When was the last time I opened my mind, and gave myself room to grow?
You might be very surprised by the answer.
Give yourself and your art room to grown,and a safe place to do the growing. It’s important to place ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally, in an area where growth isn’t something we intentionally do. It should happen naturally, like a tree.
We as humans, as artists, were given the blessings of growth, change and expression. If we bury those gifts, and let them stagnate in the rush of life--bills, worries, relationships--they’ll be like a seed beneath the snow, never able to emerge.
I love the book “The Secret Garden.” The garden lies dead and barren until Mary brushes away the ivy and finds the hidden door. She unlocks the door and begins tending the garden with loving care and attentiveness. Metaphorically speaking, the garden is your inner artist, your soul.
When was the lasttime you opened that hidden door, and snuck in to spend some quality time with yourself? You might have to do some serious pruning and weeding, and it might take a while to see sprouts poking their tiny heads out of the cold hard earth. But with enough love and care, any planted seed will grow.
Each of us requires different inner self-care. Whether you need beautiful colors around you, in your house or in nature, or you feel more at home with good music and lots of friends surrounding you, create that space for yourself. Actively go out and cultivate your garden this week. Find what makes you grow, opens you, allows you to receive the rain and sunlight, and reach for the Heavens and your utmost potential.
I love fragrances, warm familiar scents of flowers, fruits, and spices. I love unlocking my door, and walking into my house to find myself surrounded in the scents of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, white tea, citrus, or lilies. I love feeling beautiful, so I take the extra time to wear clothing and jewelry that makes me feel peaceful, happy, and successful. Reading allows me to step out of my world and into another for a while, so I read at night before I go to bed. I love teas and inhaling the fragrant steam, so I always have the kettle on and a cup of tea near me.
Spiritually, I grow when I’m at church. I love being with Church family and nurturing my spirit in God’s love and truth. Nothing is more miraculous to me than serving in the temple and studying the gospel of Christ. Prayer is a daily part of my existence, at all times, and in all things.
Second only to God, is my need to create, heal, and inspire. I do this through my music and my writing and my Yoga. If I do not create, I stagnate, I hurt, I fail to move forward in my life.
What things do yu do to care for your own inner artist? How do you inspire yourself, invigorate your art, and create an artistic space that allows you to grow and produce fruit?
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