“Creativity requires activity, and this is not good news to most of us. It makes us responsible, and we tend to hate that. ~ Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way (p. 142)
What do you know about your own creative capacity? Once we get past the familiar excuses for not doing our art (not enough time, space, know-how or gumption, etc), then what? We actually experience the flow. It can feel good and we get comfortable. Joyful, even. Then what? How much creative energy can actually flow through you in a good way?
I recently started up another creative practice. Yes, another one. On Sept 12 I was in the midst of our MeetUp group, and I heard the words fall out of my mouth. “I’ll start something tonight.” Gulp. In my heart I know that I want to get back to painting on a regular basis, but the commitment to doing it on a regular basis left me feeling revved up and hesitant at the same time. Could I really stick to it? I know that putting my word to it makes that more likely.
Sometimes we get in the groove, lovin’ our creative process and then get freaked out. Can it actually be this good? Can there be such ease to this joy? How much more can I handle?
Sometimes I get in my studio and barely squeeze out a color and the energy to clean one brush. Other times I get into the joy of playing with paint and lose track of time. I find that it is the practice that helps me do it when it feels hard, and risk getting carried away in the flow of things when it feels fun.
“A productive artist is quite often a happy person. This can be very threatening as a self-concept to those who are used to getting their needs met by being unhappy.” ~ Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way (p. 154)
What do you think?
I think I’m going to keep risking being happy.
Here’s what I started. The first swatch looked a bit like a heart so I decided to go for it. Mix one color a day, make a heart and paint on canvas to my heart’s content. ♥
