I feel as though much of what I want to type will essentially be a tutorial in my favorite aspects of
The Artist's Way. There's good reason for this. This book and, more specifically, the group of people I'm in the group with, have helped salvage my artistic self. The book is written for those who are interested in moving past an artistic block. Well, I didn't actually join the group for that. I joined it because, since the age of 7, I have donned the role and label of "Artist." I wore it proudly. It wasn't until this group that I actually realized how ferociously blocked I was. It had been years since I had created art with any regularity. And working outside of my dominant medium? Forget it! I had no time to play or experiment, because I barely made time to do anything at all. I would get commissioned for artwork every now and again, but I would approach the task with resistance and drudgery. No play. No silliness. Nothing of all of what art
should be. Of what it
had been for me. Deadlines for people began to fall through, because I would not be willing or even
able to complete the work I had started. This left me feeling no end of guilt and shame.
But there were these moments...moments of doodling and sketching; or moments of photo taking where I could feel it. The bubbling inside of me of something wanting to be free. My authentic artist self has been dormant for a while, but she was always there, ready to be unleashed! Ready to see the world from interesting angles. Ready to capture shadow and light, shape and texture.
So there I was, this unknowingly blocked artist entering a group that would shake up my world and challenge me in surprising and welcome ways. So that's why I'm preparing a small tutorial of this life-altering book.
The essentials of the Artist's Way Week are thus:
Morning Pages-writing daily. I have a notebook for the words I do not share in here. Even if the words are "I have no idea what to write, I feel blank" you just write, write, write for three page daily.
Artist's Date- Taking your inner artist on a private date weekly. Photo walks have been my favorite. But I've also gone to a coffee shop and listened to my ipod while drawing whatever images came into my mind. Other people have gone to museums or art shows. The list is endless really. It's meant to be something that feeds your inner artist. (Side note: My inner artist is a vision of myself around 10 years old with tons of energy and bouncing curls usually squealing "Let's do it!!" to the artistic endeavors I imagine). Eventually, you are encouraged to take "mini-dates" and more risks in your Artist Dates.
Tasks- Usually, there are about ten in a week. The author encourages the completion of about half, suggesting that you try both the ones that appeal to you, and the ones you immediately shy away from. An example: Imagine five "alternate lives" for yourself. 1) Children's book author. 2) Street Painter in Europe. 3) Professor at a college. 4) Artist. 5) Jewelry-maker. You're encouraged to describe them in as much detail as you'd like, taking care to elaborate on one more than the others. THEN, a second task may be to
do something that would be reminiscent of one of the lives. Maybe you take your easel and some paints and paint in a park near your house to represent #2. It's quite incredible what can come of these moments.
Synchronicity- This doesn't come up for the first few weeks of the class, but it has been a huge part of my experience, so I thought I'd include it here. I think this is best understood through an example: A woman has always wanted to take an acting class. Always, always. But through excuses or embarassment, she never has. Then, the day she's thinking about it again, she happens to start a conversation with her with a person in the grocery store...who happens to teach beginning actor's classes. They exchange cards. Bada-boom. Synchronicty. It's more meaningful and impressive than coincidence. My most recent experience with it, I'll share with you after I explain the final part of an Artist's Way Week (that'll I'll include here). What I have found to be the "keys" to syncrhonicity is two-fold. One, being open to it. Two, being aware of it. Not a week goes by where one of my fellow group members doesn't have an ephiphany through our group discussions because he/she just hasn't paid attention to their synchronocity.
Weekly Gathering- if you choose to do this process with a group, rather than alone, then you meet weekly and share your experiences with the mornings pages, tasks, artist's date, and syncrhonicity. These gatherings have been the soul of the process for me. I have loved them, and the people in them.
And now onto my Artist's Date and the risk taing for this week. Last night, I attended a local art show downtown. One of my co-conspirators in the Artist's Way is a children's book author whose books and art were on display. She introduced me to several of the women standing around her when I approached her for a sqwunchy hug. One of the ladies turned out to be the museum coordinator. Since my friend introduced me as "my artist friend!" the curator asked to have my information. I shared it with her! Her parting words were, "I'll call or email you and maybe we can meet for me to see your portfoilio."
!!! This is a HUGE step and feels like an enormous risk. My adult self feels partially paralized, but my inner artist child (the squealing one) is the voice and the excited emotional tide that I'm choosing to focus on. The synchronicity is that I keep thinking how much I would like to get my art out into the community. I've been halfway imagining ways to try this, but had never pushed myself into action.
Now...I have to make a portfiolio (smile), something I actually haven't done much of before. It's so exciting. And even if nothing in particular comes from it- although I vehemently hope that's not the case -at least I can say I tried. And try I will. With heart, soul, creativity, and playfulness, I will face this new venture and risk head on, knowing that as I do, I continue to release my authentic artist self.
