3 things I learned painting “Galactic Deja Vu”
Embracing the unknown in your art making process.
Thoughts on how to work through the fear of the white paper and cultivate a blissful open mindset of creation.
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Recently, I painted this intuitive sketch, in a live session with the students in Art Soul Living – Creative Academy, along with my dear art students. Creating together online like this has grown into one of my most beloved ways of creating. There is something about it that pushes me to take chances and take leaps of faith from “old habits” and safe territory in my art making.
In this painting I really challenged myself. I decided from the beginning to begin with a minimum of planning just letting things evolve from the page. I did not know what the motif would be. I started out with an abstract underpainting in dissolved watercolor pencil and then slowly tapped into what my mind saw in the abstract. A little bit like cloud gazing. And so, slowly a very unexpected painting came to be. I called it Galactic Deja Vu, based on the intuitive feelings that came to me whilst creating it.
Here are 3 things I learned as I was creating this painting
- Accepting the unknown is vital for creativity
- Welcoming what ever happens on the page as a gift from the universe’
- Go with the flow and let your art develop organically
ACCEPTING THE UNKNOWN IS VITAL FOR CREATIVITY
Over the years as a creative, I have come to realize that the grand visions I have in my imagination is sacred. And that the actual paintings I get to do, well they are sacred too. And that there will always be a canyon between those two very different things. My inner visions are made of ether and the physical art I birth into this world is made of and with … stuff. Pigments. Binders. Paper. With water. With brushes. With my hands. They will always be only an earthly mirror of my grand visions. And I have learned that this earthly art process is really a metaphor of life. It´s full of surprises. Full of the unknown.
Each time I sit with my art, I welcome and greet the unknown beauty of art unfolding in unpredictable ways. It is the grand mystery of life. And I am entering that mystery in the very process of art making.
WELCOMING WHAT EVER HAPPENS ON THE PAGE
And so, I have gradually shaped my mindset about art making to always be welcoming whatever happens on the page that day. To always embrace the way my art turns out. Somehow, my art is a direct reflection of me. And I am a direct reflection of my art. That is why one of my key philosophies of art making is always to love my art as it is. It´s a living breathing practice of self-love. Of embracing what is.
GO WITH THE FLOW AND LET YOUR ART DEVELOP ORGANICALLY
The art process is also a direct reflection of the physical universe. It´s a cosmic play. Think of it. Somehow your art process is literally a deep and mysterious alchemy. You add substances like pigments, binders, water and so many other things to your page. It is a mysterious play of molecules, that miraculously turns into art. Birthed into the world by you. For me that is sacred, and I try to stay awake and aware that the laws of physics are making magic via my hands while I am making art.
Nourishing a mindset like this is a lifelong journey. But if I hone it and work with it, it makes my art process more enjoyable, more loving and meaningful.
START THINKING ABOUT:
- Have you noticed any qualities of mindset that makes your art process more enjoyable?
- If so, how can you cultivate them?
- How do you react when the materials “do” differently than you thought you would?
- How can you work towards accepting and internalizing the mysterious soul of the art materials?
- Is it possible that embracing the unknown in your art process can make your art more meaningful and unique?
Come share your thoughts in a comment below.
To your blessed and blissful creations!
Ida
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It is hard for me to respond to your questions Ida, because I do exactly the same and I can only wholeheartedly agree with you 🙂
I really hope more and more people discover the magical moments and connections that can happen through creative processes.
Thank you for sharing and being such an amazing teacher that you are.
Much love!
Nina
I really love feeling connected when I create. It always feels like I play. I love the fact that every mark I make is unique. I go with the flow in my art, although what I see in my minds eye is not always what show on paper.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and thank you for putting this into words for me:
“My inner visions are mad of ether and the physical art I birth into this world is made of and with … stuff. Pigments. Binders. Paper. With water. With brushes. With my hands. They will always be only an earthly mirror of my grand visions.”
I didn’t think of it quite this way before but it is exactly the feeling I am feeling and one of the most rewarding part of making art for me is when I am able to approximate my inner world in the art that i create. It gives me tremendous joy that bubbles inside me and makes me want to create more.
/Adrienn