A thought struck me. That’s just what I mean. It struck me. As if it came out of nowhere to rest in my brain. That thought was, “Where do thoughts come from?” Or ideas? Or visions? Or dreams? I can look at a mass of sugar and fat and chocolate chips and tell you where chocolate chip cookies come from. I can plant some seeds and tell you where a zucchini comes from. But mental creations? They materialize from some immaterial world, sometimes in such vivid and marvelous detail. Are they planted there as a cosmic gift from a source not yet understood? I think so. My best writing and my best painting always seems to come from an idea not planted by myself.
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I was teaching art yesterday to this wonderful little child. She finished drawing and painting her rooster and then suddenly threw it in the air in this wonderful gesture of joy. THIS is why teaching art is a good thing. THIS is why creating art is a great big ditto. Wonderful. Good. Joy. I honestly believe that any creative act elevates the spirit, be it painting, writing, gardening, scrapbooking, sewing, handiwork, batik, jewelry designing, home decorating, cooking, puppetry, teaching, carpentry, or any other thing that creates something out of nothing, requiring that most human of traits: imagination. Time taken to create comes back in unending waves of satisfaction. Creating is, indeed, joy. I recommend taking workshops—workshops taught by the right people at the right time. In my case, I take painting workshops. In the second week in May I took a workshop from John Salminen and his wife, Kathy. It was nothing short of a fabulous experience. Five years ago, while still living in Columbus, Ohio, I signed up to take a workshop with John Salminen but because of various circumstances, had to bow out. I was very disappointed. Finally, this month, Mr. Salminen came to Salt Lake City. With five years of experience behind me, I feel I was better prepared to have a successful experience. On the other hand, I can’t help think how much farther along I might be in my art pursuits had I taken the workshop five years ago. My husband takes workshops that help him in his field of marketing and social media. He, too, knows that the right workshop and the right time can enliven the imagination, give needed updated skills and create enthusiasm for the job. I am a firm believer in the “Law of Attraction.” I know, it’s almost become a trite social philosophy today, but my life has shown it to be true, nevertheless. What one gives usually comes back in kind. A sour expression elicits negative interaction. A generous soul never seems to want for anything significant. Here’s the thing about artists. In my unscientific way of polling the data, I am pretty convinced that the artists who freely give their work, talent, energy and creativity generously are those who get paid generously. I don’t mean they give their work away free, although some do. I mean they teach, share, advise, critique, encourage and support without expecting anything in return. What an anomaly in such a competitive world. Still, my best artist friends are extremely positive and generous in encouraging and supporting other artists. They create around themselves a world of such generous creative energy that the boundaries of life just constantly seem to expand. I have just finished the John Salminen workshop this week with the Utah Watercolor Society. John and his wife, Kathy, embody this principle to perfection. They gave and gave and gave and the results were dramatic to all who attended. I can just feel my life about to explode outward and can’t wait to return all that I received to my own art students at Ree Art Studio and Ree’s painting pARTies.
Everyone needs a space. I remember when I was raising young children how I longed for my own private space where no one could invade unless invited. In those days, it was impossible to find such an abode. Even the bathroom was not sacred, as any parent knows who has ever foolishly tried to make that space private for longer than a few minutes before the incessant door banging started. When I was a child I had my own room (eventually—for a while I shared with my two brothers until my parents made another bedroom out of the garage). My father had his garage. My mother had her garden. After I married, my husband had his private office. I wanted a space where I could paint without having to put it all away from prying eyes and curious little fingers. Eventually, when the first child left for college, I had a room. Heaven. Later, when all of the kids were gone, we downsized and guess what? I lost my own private space again. So, I rented a space. I can go to Ree Art Studio to think, create, study, whatever. (That is, if I turn off my cell phone. The invasion of electronics into our private worlds is a discussion for another day.) I highly recommend doing literally ANYTHING to get a private space of one’s own. It is there that creativity really flourishes. It is there that one finds authenticity. It is there that one can finally catch an uninterrupted nap. Pable Picasso has been quoted as saying, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
How true this is. I often wonder how often people stop to think about how totally important art is in their lives. Just look around the room. Any room. Every single piece of furniture, every appliance, every tool and every common item in sight was once designed by an artist. It was dreamed up, drawn, engineered and finally created into existence by artists, designers and craftsmen or women. All of this before the “real art” such as murals and hangings and paintings ended up on the walls and the sculptures and bric-a-brac and accessories were bought and lovingly placed. It’s true that not all people have the “artistic bent” that makes them want to go into an art field but there is not a living soul who does not benefit from some form of art. Perhaps one of our responsibilities as human beings is to help point that fact out to others so that they, too, may feel a sudden swelling in their souls with appreciation for the creativity of others. How does a parent encourage their child in their art? When parents ask me this, I often tell them that in general, there are two kinds of parents. Those who say, "That's very good. Keep it up!" and those who say, "What is it? Don't do that." The first kind of encouragement usually produces artists who are adventurous, courageous and spontaneous. The second kind of criticism usually drives children away from art long before they even get started. If the child does keep going, they spend the rest of their artistic endeavors trying to create to please others. I think I have developed just about the perfect way for parents to encourage their children as they discover their emerging artistic talents. Never. Let me repeat this again. Never ask: “What is it?” Always. Let me repeat this again. Always say: “Tell me about your work.” Believe me, they will tell you. What to you may seem a complete jumble of badly colored forms and shapes may be a wonderland of dreams and adventures to your child. “Tell me about it,” encourages your child to “teach” you a thing or two about seeing. In May I will be taking a water color workshop from John Salminen, one of the best watercolorists in the world in my opinion. He will be in Utah May 5 through the 9th and will be demonstrating for the Utah Watercolor Society on Tuesday, May 6. If you get a chance, go see him in action. Anyway. I spent much of my weekend sitting in front of the television watching General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In that time I listened to talks and painted. One day with my mother in her assisted living home, another day in my home. One of the speakers was Henry B. Eyring. Many do not know that he is a watercolorist. In his book, "I Will Lead You Along," he is quoted as saying, "When you get a watercolor working right, the feeling of illumination is like a deeply spiritual thing." So what does this have to do with John Salminen? I'm hoping that going to his workshop will help me feel more like I am "getting it right!" My attempts to paint this weekend were weak. I know some of the problems right away. I didn't have the right equipment or paints with me. The paper was crummy. I wasn't concentrating deeply. I got frustrated and tired. Not a good recipe for "getting it right!" Last Friday night saw the second Ree's painting pARTy take flight! As you can see, this one was strictly for the birds, and I'm sorry, but I just have to crow a little about how much fun we had! My husband, Craig, even took up the brush and paint for the first time in his adult life. Did he lay an egg with this one? No way. His painting was a soaring success. Indeed, birds of a feather, in this case, artists at heart, do flock together at Ree Art Studio. I love to sit with my mother while she is watching television or reading. She is an amazing model. She sits so quietly and without the slightest embarrassment, lets me draw her. My husband, Craig, is much the same way. Perhaps these two individuals are so used to having me sketch them, they don't flinch. They don't even ask to see the sketches anymore. I believe in drawing. Drawing constantly. Drawing every day. I tell my students at Ree Art Studio http://www.reeartstudio.com to draw, draw, draw. Drawing is the best way to see, see, see. |
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