Bold Brushstrokes - Discovering Creativity from the Inside Out

There’s that old chestnut…

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”

“Practice, practice, practice”?

Apparently no one knows the origin of that joke but there is some wisdom in there for people who want to develop and advance their work.

At the beginning of classes with new and not so new painters, two common threads emerge. People want to loosen up and create paintings that aren’t overworked but alive and marked by their authentic hand. Perhaps the other and definitely more perplexing thread is that so often people who say they want to paint don’t actually paint very much. The excuses are as original as “the dog ate my homework.” They are too busy with work, kids, aging parents, demanding spouses, charity work and so on and so on. When asked how much they paint, the fact that they haven’t picked up a brush since the last class they took a year or two ago hangs awkwardly in the air.

Will power may not be the answer.

Neither is self-flagellation.

Creating an environment where getting to paint or draw or do something on a regular daily or weekly basis is a natural outcome of circumstances might be the ticket. Changing behaviour requires some understanding.

Recent research indicates that our conscious, logical brain – the one that we hope is in control – is really only responsible for 20% of our decision making. It appears that our subconscious brain is the ultimate decision maker. It is the part of our brain that is in charge of what we decide to do.

The part of our brain know as the reptilian brain operates outside of our conscious awareness, and functions at a survival level to save us from perceived threats. There is also the mammalian brain that stores emotional memories at a subconscious level as well. Any conscious intention created with the conscious rational neo-cortex needs to by-pass any reaction from the subconscious.

Putting yourself out into the world can be a scarey proposition. We hesitate due to fear of criticism or being misunderstood or misinterpreted. As beginners we also understand that our skill has not yet caught up to our vision of where we want to go with our work. There is pain in this recognition.

The subconscious parts of our brain can create logical rational reasons why we can’t paint to keep us from experiencing these threats. That’s where we buy into our own stories of too busy, too poor too whatever.

This is rather like dealing with the boogeyman. However if you check under the bed and keep the nightlight on he goes away. The moral of the story here is to set up your environment to support making the work happen. This has to be something that works for you not what might work for some so called expert or your friend.

For some a hundred day challenge to draw or paint or take a photo daily for a restricted period of time is an impetus that feels manageable. People that commit to this often report that they are so glad that they dedicated the time as they learned so much and saw their work improve in leaps and bounds.

I have also known artists that share studio space just for the sake of getting started with a blank canvas on a regular basis. Seeing others engaged in the process can spark ideas that are bigger than any negative subconscious messages.

Enrolling in classes works for others. You have to know if this gets you into flow or not.

It may be as simple as setting up a dedicated space that is sacred to you and ready at all times. If you have to drag the paintbox out from under the bed and clear off the kitchen table, you are already behind the eight ball.

Personally I know that I work best with lots of good supplies on hand, a well lit and well ventilated space with lots of room to spread out multiple canvases and see them in their various stages of completion. It is also best if I can leave things in mid-thought so that I can pick up where I left off rather than clearing the decks after each session.

The most I grew as an artist was when I was a partner with 4 other artists in a gallery in a trendy part of Toronto. We hung a new show every month so I need to produce a number of works on a consistent basis. This was a real impetus to paint – a lot. The other part of the equation was that I was exposed to feedback from a diverse audience. Generally I don’t relish the idea of feedback – even though consciously I realize its value. The surprising effect was that interacting with the public in the gallery was inspiring. Hearing people’s questions about the creative process and their assessment of my work calmed my own inner critic and fears of judgment. Who knew!

The more I practiced I could feel that I was gaining unconscious competence with paint and brushes. My work was looser and more a reflection of where I wanted to take the painting. This isn’t a fairy tale. The boogeyman didn’t disappear altogether. Our gallery in the Distillery District wasn’t the equivalent of hanging in the Carnegie Hall of galleries. BUT there was hope.

What should you be practicing to make the mark you want with your work? And how can you set up your environment to conspire in your favour and keep the boogeyman at bay?

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