"Precious Note", acrylic on canvas, 30" X 48", © Loren Griffyn
This painting caught my attention recently as I was sorting some stuff out of my storage. It’s one of my bigger works that I did back in 2009. It has a quote on it from Julia Cameron, “My song is a precious note in the symphony of life”. I often create to inspire myself…and I hope it inspires you too!
Photo credits to Partington Photography.
These past few weeks I have been experimenting with a different subject matter…wanted to share some of my favourites.
On my balcony admiring the light and the slowly building cumulus clouds on a hot, humid day, a beautiful, quite stunning realization came to me regarding the starving artist myth.
As I was eating…(ironic isn’t it, as I do so love being well-fed) I asked myself, have I ever really starved? Have I ever really been a “starving artist”? And for that matter, have I ever been homeless or not at any point able to create?
French Toast: food for contemplation
The answer: No. Never. Not once. I have never been hungry or homeless in the pursuit of my creative endeavors. Now, mind you, I have not always made my way financially with my art, but does that really matter? Is not the creation and the process of the artistic passion the definition of success, more than whether the art piece sold?
As I munch on french toast bagels and fresh strawberries on my balcony of my safe, secure and quiet apartment home, I am and always will be an artist, who just happens, at this moment in time, makes her money through a job at a medical lab.
My dining room is my studio. I just recently created a whole slew of new work…and here I am good, happy, well-fed and inspired!
Yes, my friends, artistic creation is born from joy and fulfillment, not starvation and desperation. Funny that, the big wide world suddenly seems so much prettier.
What myths perpetuate your life? Super-mom to tortured artist, what bogs you down from realizing your dreams, your comfort, your pleasure? What assumptions need questioning and how can you change the way you look at your life experience?
I’ve discovered an interesting thing about myself…when I have an art project to complete almost everything, besides eating, sleeping, going to my job and the art making, matter. Thus is was a relief to finally have time to vacuum, catch up on laundry and dishes, and put the house in order. And, take a bit of a breather. I successfully completed one of my studio assignments with the Mindful Artist Mentorship Program…15 complete and imperfect paintings done over the last two weeks. I thought it was time to share some of my pieces…enjoy!
Studio sneak peak
I am a week and a half into the Mindful Artist Mentorship Program and already I’m feeling a shift. As we create our intentions for the program, we begin by creating space to work. Thus, I am de-cluttering and re-shuffling my home studio space…to allow just for that…new space, fresh ideas, transformation.
Cerridwen, acrylic on canvas, 1989
I have been agonizing about what to do with some of my very old work. Huge rolls of paper drawings, large canvases, many large unstretched paintings on canvas. Folded and dusty, I have carried some of these pieces with me since around 1989. Yes folks, that’s 22 years. How long to carry such energy with me on my travels! All the way from B.C. to Toronto and now to here, my home in London, Ontario.
I am tempted to burn the whole lot. However, knowing that is a bit of a rash decision, I have instead sat with it. The other day I pulled out some of the larger canvases and viewed them with fresh eyes. Some images I loved and some I felt not so attached too. I took photos of them and folded them back up…nope, not ready to let them go just yet. But I see myself possibly re-purposing them and breaking them into smaller pieces and mounting them on stretchers. Who knows, maybe the new body of work I am hoping to create is already with me, waiting to be reborn.
“In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.” ~Rumi
Preparing canvases for painting session
These past couple of weeks I’ve found myself feeling very quiet, as something is mulling in the back of my mind. Unable to express myself verbally and in writing, I’ve sort of had to just let things lie. So, with a commitment to a blog, it does become a bit of an issue. Then, I thought, does it really?
I did some exploring and had a look at some other bloggers…one of the things I noticed was that everyone posts such wonderful images. Pictures, explorations through visuals, becomes a narrative in and of itself.Formulating clarity around the purpose of this blog is continuing to be a challenge. I’ve decided to allow it its own organic growth and development. I am finding as I move about in the world my mind is sort of working on my next entry and I am slowing down to look at things…details. The shape and colour of trees, the numerous bright yellow dandelions, the birds…the lovely birds and their myriad songs and flashes of colour as they whisk by me, or the hawk that swooped by my building yesterday. It is a delight to notice these things and share the awe I have for the beauty around me.
Red-tailed Hawk
I am also in an artistic transition…wanting to take my images to a new and different level. I’m feeling some frustration as the first new tries are, well, not very successful, and sort of awful. I remind myself to allow for imperfection and accept, as Julia Cameron would say, ‘ to do something really good, sometimes you have to be really bad at it’ (not a direct quote, but you get the idea). As part of the journey, everything I do seems to be a work in progress. And, for now, that is the perfect place to be.
The most exciting thing coming up for me this month is starting the Artist Mentorship Program with Michele Theberge. I am excited for the fresh perspective, guidance and support I know I am opening my life up to. And best of all, I look forward to sharing my new discoveries.
After an intense week hunched over the computer putting together my website, it was time for a much needed day trip. Venturing to an artsy small town by the Lake was the perfect prescription. I have not been in any galleries for a while, so having the opportunity to be reminded of the vast infinite array of styles, textures, and colors was a breath of fresh air. My traveling companion, a fellow artist, always good for deep conversations, was a wonderful breath of fresh air also.
Lately I’ve been drawn to what I call ‘drippy’ paintings – where the paint is put on thick and allowed to flow and stream and mix to create some really intuitive, organic designs and patterns. I find this abstract method fascinating. It is a contradiction to what I am known for…my sacred feminine images. So, it’s a toss up for me – both of these methods and subject matter I love – can they live together on one canvas? That is what I am currently experimenting with. Sometimes I hesitate with expressing and showing my abstract creations…I can feel my inner judge viewer show up and criticize and complain how amateur and unfinished the work looks, and well, what would people think of that!
Throwing caution to the wind, I need to constantly ask myself, what is my heart drawn too, especially as I explore a deeper, more authentic style that is my own. I will admit I have lots of insecurities about my creative talent. I also pick up other artists methods to experiment with and they incorporate themselves into my work. So, who am I really and what is my authentic style? I believe that like a fingerprint, one cannot truly ever copy another’s work as your unique mark will show through. So really it is a building of trust between myself and myself. But also I think too, moving out of sporadic, reaction based methods (for example, OMG I have an art show in two weeks, quick make some new stuff!!) and into an actual studio practice is really what I need to cultivate. And lest I ‘forget’, getting out of my head and into my creative, playful heart is the ultimate intention.
What challenges do you face in your creative process and identifying your style? When someone asks you, what do you paint, draw, write about? What is your answer?
I create magical art full of positive-energy and sumptuous, vibrant colour and texture. Art is not just about representing images, stories or ideas. It's about breathing inspiration into our hearts, minds and spirits.
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