Yesterday, I researched software platforms to help me organize my work tasks. Normally, I simply write lists to-do on post-its. That way, I can see them all day, and since I write super-small, it feels manageable. The problem with that system is that I just ignore the lists. And so, my desk is littered with post-its full of unfinished tasks.
I thought that since I use digital frameworks for so many different things—communication, meetings, scheduling, class delivery, design ideas, etc. — I could find one to help me corral my chaotic thoughts into clear, actionable items.
It only took me an hour to realize I could have spent that time DOING the tasks on my list instead of just researching how to organize them! Another sneaky trick of P-R-O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N: I'd rather write a list than do the thing.
The beginning of my next painting in the butterfly series. The title just came to me this week: "The Imaginal State."
By now, though, I know this is a by-product of creativity. The instinct to "complexify" everything is a response to anxiety—an attempt to control the uncontrollable. After all, creativity IS chaotic. It's like a storm in the brain. I can't approach it in a linear, logical way. I have to stand in the middle of the energy, brace myself, steady my hand, and get to work. After working for awhile, the flow settles in and things make sense.
It's only when I think about creating that I get anxious. Once I'm doing it, I feel calm.
It's the same with trying to learn how to create. We think, omg, I have to take this class and learn that skill and master this practice in order to claim the title of "artist." I'm not good enough yet. Other people know more than I do.
The first layers in a painting I later titled "Faith Mandala."
But as soon as you learn that first thing, like how to draw a cup or why values matter, the door of curiosity opens, and excitement pushes fear away long enough to create something. That something teaches you where to go next. It turns out to be much simpler than you think. You don't have to master every skill to earn the right to start painting. The creating itself is your best teacher.
What "Faith Mandala" eventually became
If you're overwhelmed by everything you think you need to learn, I can help you simplify the questions and start creating. The basic rules of rendering are easy to learn. How we bend or break those rules is where the fun comes in.
Believe it or not, it starts with understanding and drawing a simple shape. It unlocks your ability to see the world in a whole new way.
My next online drawing class starts May 26. It's a great way to jump into the fundamentals. Whether you're a beginner or have been creating for years, you'll learn something new about how to see the world.
If you've already taken it, or want to develop a single piece from start to finish, let me know and I'll put you on the list for a special workshop I'm teaching in June. More details to come.
In the meantime, happy creating…
Art Heals
Filipina-Italian designer Mirei Monticelli creates these flowy lamps that feel like a mix of fire, earth and air, like a plant blowing in the wind, lit from inside. They're biodegradable structures made from what she calls Banaca fiber, cultivated from the Abacá plant in the Philippines and fashioned by a local community of weavers. Monticelli has developed not only the fabric, but the process of communal creation.
