A couple of weeks ago I got together with a group of local artist who are at various stages of their career to talk about marketing and growing as Artists. Meetings like this can do a couple things...help you realize you are doing pretty well, shock you when you realize "you're doing it wrong!" or just get you hopped up on caffeine and cookies.
Luckily, this was a good meeting. Met a few new artists, got a couple good ideas, and came away with a new favorite quote:
"When the 'why' gets stronger, the 'how' gets easier"
(I don't know the source, and the closest phrase I could find on the web was "when the want gets stronger, the how gets easier", which is also a great way of putting it!)
So how can this phrase come into my every day life...
When faced with a painting, I will often find myself at a point where I can't figure out what to do next, how to fix it, etc. If I can look at my work, and figure out WHY it isn't working, knowing HOW to fix it becomes much clearer (easier!).
If I am debating whether or not to keep my studio space, I list in my head WHY I want to keep it...
1. I love the Wednesday night figure drawing group. The time to draw from the live model with my fellow artists is like a weekly Church meeting.
2. I can paint with Oils in the space. I don't have the ventilation at home to do so.
3. I am not thinking about laundry, or dishes, or vacuuming while I am painting in the studio. This is my time to work, and only work.
4. I am a better Mom when I have the balance between home and the studio. And I think it's good for my kids to see that I have a job, and a place to work, outside the house.
and the HOW to keep it becomes a lot easier, every time I go through that list. I have to
1. Create work to sell
2. Keep the Wednesday evenings active and successful
3. Teach !
The strength and resolve to keep the studio is stronger as I list my wants and why's.
And there is so much going on outside the studio, too. Jack is still having issues at school, and I have to keep focusing on the WANT for him to succeed: and then, the HOW will get easier. That seems really simplified, and it's definitely not the entire story...but when the Assistant Principal gets to a point where she says to you "How miserable can you make your son at home?", as punishment for something he did at school, your desire - WANT- for him to kick a$$ at school and show them how bright and capable he is becomes a LOT STRONGER and you better be sure that I am going to figure out HOW help Jack do it.
Motivation. Work on making your WHY/WANT stronger, and the HOW will get easier.
Luckily, this was a good meeting. Met a few new artists, got a couple good ideas, and came away with a new favorite quote:
"When the 'why' gets stronger, the 'how' gets easier"
(I don't know the source, and the closest phrase I could find on the web was "when the want gets stronger, the how gets easier", which is also a great way of putting it!)
So how can this phrase come into my every day life...
When faced with a painting, I will often find myself at a point where I can't figure out what to do next, how to fix it, etc. If I can look at my work, and figure out WHY it isn't working, knowing HOW to fix it becomes much clearer (easier!).
If I am debating whether or not to keep my studio space, I list in my head WHY I want to keep it...
1. I love the Wednesday night figure drawing group. The time to draw from the live model with my fellow artists is like a weekly Church meeting.
2. I can paint with Oils in the space. I don't have the ventilation at home to do so.
3. I am not thinking about laundry, or dishes, or vacuuming while I am painting in the studio. This is my time to work, and only work.
4. I am a better Mom when I have the balance between home and the studio. And I think it's good for my kids to see that I have a job, and a place to work, outside the house.
and the HOW to keep it becomes a lot easier, every time I go through that list. I have to
1. Create work to sell
2. Keep the Wednesday evenings active and successful
3. Teach !
The strength and resolve to keep the studio is stronger as I list my wants and why's.
And there is so much going on outside the studio, too. Jack is still having issues at school, and I have to keep focusing on the WANT for him to succeed: and then, the HOW will get easier. That seems really simplified, and it's definitely not the entire story...but when the Assistant Principal gets to a point where she says to you "How miserable can you make your son at home?", as punishment for something he did at school, your desire - WANT- for him to kick a$$ at school and show them how bright and capable he is becomes a LOT STRONGER and you better be sure that I am going to figure out HOW help Jack do it.
Motivation. Work on making your WHY/WANT stronger, and the HOW will get easier.
2 comments:
Love this post!! I really needed to read this today. Thank you! And as a mother of a tiresome 3 yr old, good luck with Jack at school.
~Kelly
Hi Kelly, Thank you! It always helps to hear that we are not going through things alone :)
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