Inspiration

Happy New Year …
Did you know gratitude can cure illness?  The long term Christian practice of grace at meal times has added advantages it seems. Try asking for the food you are about to eat to give the benefits of good health and healing and then keep the faith, for this positive outlook will work. There has been a great deal of scientific research to prove that positive thought can change the properties of water, food  and more importantly, our lives.  Masaru Emoto, a renowned Japanese academic and researcher, has written several books on the wonders of water. Another interesting researcher on positivity  is Graeme Sait who spoke at the recent Woodford Folk Festival. His web site is www.ntshealth.com.au

So how does gratitude affect the output of a creative artist? It is easy to forget achievements in the face of adversity and therefore wallow in self pity. I occasionally read articles that debate the poor income of artists, even those highly acclaimed. Income, just to survive, is often not derived from the arts. So if you are one of the passionate artists who have a day job to support you, be eternally grateful. While I spent a small lifetime supporting my art as a Registered Nurse, I was not always grateful for the wisdom of having such a reliable income. Instead I secretly wanted to run away to my studio and live the life of a full time artist. Eventually, at the right time, I did.

We do get what we dwell on, and gratitude removes the focus on poor results and places it squarely on achievement. If you decide to have all you require to live a good life you will find the money is always there to buy what you need or desire. My own dream, or rather goal, of having a purpose built studio, and a small Japanese inspired garden, to work in full time, has been fulfilled. Still I need to remind myself to be grateful when things don’t go as I plan. I know I can’t be all things to all people and to continue along my own path is essential.

Getting back to water, my own fascination to explore water in my artwork goes back to having grown up on island. Water can have a destructive element and my heart goes out to those affected by the current floods in Queensland. The rain is coming down again outside my window as I write.  My only flood issue is the causeway on our creek that rises very quickly to stop us getting out. So I am grateful that my inconveniences are small and for the volunteers and services that are helping those in need at this time.

Below is a picture of the causeway on Woolshed Ck Road and the force of swollen Plain Creek that kept me from my bed on the evening of Boxing Day. Dont forget to visit my  art and books website  http://www.artclique.com.au

Local flooding on Woolshed Ck Road at Tallegalla.

Solar power without the grid, lots of rain and no sun, and two broken generators, has slowed my latest blog input, but excuses aside, I am back to working my way through the Twelve Qualities of Creativity. I have a question for you.

Do you feel confident to talk or write about your creative output? It’s not always easy if you want to reach the viewer from their own perspective of the world. While a creative work will have many layers, which result from the artist’s life experiences, the viewer will interpret from their understanding. This convoluted reading can overshadow the intended meaning which may take something away from the outcome.

A humble artwork can speak from a level that is not about the subject matter, yet has the ability to change the world perspective of the viewer. This might seem like a big call, and most could relate this more easily to a book or film, however understanding is really about the viewer giving the creative work  time to speak to them in a language they know. This may take a little contemplation during or after the event.

In this busy world we rush past life, and miss the subtleties. An artist with a purpose knows what and why they create and they will have had many influences. The audience would like to hear about these, but first their creation has to attract the viewer long enough for them to reflect on their own journey. A brief solid sentence,  that is not to academic or full of waffle, can quickly pull the viewer deeper into this experience.

Artists tend to gather like minded artist friends and I see this on social media sites. They influence each other and are inspired by the achievements of their colleagues. What happens if you don’t follow a particular genre and feel like you are out on your own? Its best to find like minded artist friends but lean heavily on your research. Learn from others, but only those who have proven themselves through time….and discover how to articulate what you have to say in your art.

Below is a belated photo from my workshop ‘Finding the Inner Artist ‘ at Sculptors Qld late November. Only missing is the lovely Jan who took the photo.

November workshop group at Sculptors Qld

My own experiences this year have encompassed the whole gamut.  Life is about getting on with the nitty gritty. With an exhibition to create in three months, over the heat of summer, with Christmas looming, I am exhilarated. The new studio, a year old next month, took its time arriving, but I knew it would happen one day. That day arrived with my builder son – in law and his offsider during the first week in December last year, and the studio was completed in time for a New Years Eve party.

This year’s events may not be quite as exciting but creating work in the new space is. Holding the odd workshop,  especially as a  new patio style carport arrives soon, will get even better in 2011. Here is a photo of the art studio..good things do come to those that  work at achieving their dreams…

Lyne Marshall's art studio

Meet me at Art Clique is on Stand D13 from the 11th to 14th November.  As well as displaying  paintings, I will sign copies of both my books More information on http://www.artsydney10.com.au/exhibitors/Art-Clique

The French master sculptor, Rodan, was once quoted as saying ‘ the artist enriches the soul of humanity and delights people with a thousand unsuspected shades of feeling’  For someone to reach this level in their creative output they first have to have a vision and a purpose for their life’s work. They may even need to get out of their own way and allow the real work to flow. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has written several books on this subject which are great reading for artists.

Many have talked about an aspect of studio work where a spiritual richness emerges in the work as though they are being guided by higher power. Cy Thombly, an acclaimed American artist, has learned to wait on the flow. He is well known for his energetic scribbled paintings and like New York based artist Max Gimblett, gets in touch with the inner artist through eastern based practices of meditation. Whatever the principals behind creative work, you first need to be disciplined to turn up on a regular basis to the studio.

Value your creative time and the best way I find to do this is to create goals that are defined by time. We continually ask.. where did all that time go? Not surprisingly, setting goals for each day, actually gets things done.  Allowing time everyday for studio thinking even if not studio working, causes us to realise that everything needed is all around us, and the way to access anything is to value what you already have, and be grateful for it. How do others access flow? I would love to see your comments here

Passages 2, 122 x 122cm acrylic on canvas 2009

‘ I stand before the sea, my childhood drifting before me in the passage that separates the island [me] from the mainland [life]. The ebb and flow of the tide washes to the beach the flotsam and jetsam of ships and people that have passed by me. Exposed to this debris, life will continue; just every now and then I stop to clean up the shoreline.’   Lyne Marshall