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An AHA moment and everything changes!



When you are a creative mind, it is usually good to push through difficulties in order to progress. I supposed that's what having "grit" is about. There might be moments when you feel like giving it all up because it's simply hard. There are good days and bad days, and when the bad ones are around we face what Steven Pressfield calls resistance in his book The War of Art. It is like a part of you, yet it could care less about you, trying to coax you to stop in order to stop the suffering. After all, it's all about living in the most pleasurable way, seems like. Or at least, that's what our primal mind thinks: if it's hard, don't do it. Most creatives go through this at some point and the key is to keep doing what you're doing, not stop. However, there are times when one might want to listen deeply and pay attention. That's what I did.

Rcently, I was struggling with my abstract work. There was a disconnection from it, I felt lost, and unsure of what to create, not enjoying my creative time. I tried a different style, more textural, simplified, etc. It wasn't working. It was becoming stressful to the point of dreaming, one night, of being inside a sinking boat and going down with it.

Yet, in that dream, the boat popped back up and I didn't die! I took the time to reflect on my work and realized that I was not enjoying this abstract style because I missed sketching and doing more figurative work. I missed it terribly, in fact. I had this vision of painting some simple flowers on a small panel, in a spontaneous way. I did some quick sketching and my painting evolved as I went. It was fun! I painted another 8x8 in. panel with a flower arrangement I made, and loved it. In fact, a friend of mine said at once she wanted to buy it. Wow. I did a third panel, more natural history-like, and had a blast, even though it was challenging in its ways. Texting it to another friend to get her opinion, she said too she wanted to buy it. Double wow.

And so, I am shifting my work. I have listened to what it is that I needed. It's not that I'm not plowing through difficulties as I should, as those 3 panels had their problems to solve, but I have listened to what my heart was telling me and now it's singing again. 

Those 3 panels are what you're looking at above, and I will have many more. My intention is to open a shop on Etsy and paint a real variety of subjects. I am not stopping my abstract work but pausing for the moment. There is no such thing as utter joy when you are doing what you love. I am now!

Blissfully yours,
Aude



Minimalist paint kit for trekking


I was just on a 7-day trek in the Teton range, on Teton Crest Trail, a fabulous experience. I so love hiking and being out on trails for that long period of time, it rewinds my clock, energizes my creativity and allows me time to reflect on aspects of my work and life.

With my backpack weighing around 42 lbs, I had to really trim down on the art supplies! So I chose my little watercolor notebook, a Moleskine one with 60 pages, and good paper, my mini box of watercolors, 1 yogurt pot lid for a palette, 2 tubes of gouache (white and black), 1 small pencil - no eraser (I never use them anyways), 1 apple sauce container for water, 1 tiny light ruler, 1 #3 brush and 1 Niji waterbrush, 1 Copic Multiliner brush 8mm, and 1 Artline pen 0.1.

With the pouch to carry all this, the kit weight is 325g, or 11 1/2 oz. Not bad!

Thus I had the opportunity to write, sketch scenery, work on abstract vignettes too. I never totally stop doing art, it's simply a part of my daily life one way or another.
I'm set for the next trip!











You know the feeling when you've been doing something you love but at some point you need a little break in order to renew your mind, your muse mind, and your ideas? That's where I'm at today.

The past few months have been spent painting regularly and it's been rewarding as the more you do something, the better you get at it. My work has benefited from this commitment and now shows a more refined approach as well as more defined elements, while remaining abstract. I feel very positive about my progress, and intend to keep at it.

If you visit my website you will quickly see what I'm talking about.

I have about 8 new panels completed, 4 of them are showing in "Tiny Art Show" curated by Meg Daly and Alissa Davies, on Wednesday, August 3, 10 and 17 at the People's Market. The other 4 panels need their edges painted and varnished but that's easy although lengthy as I make sure the panels look professional.

So, after all this great work, I'm off for a 7-day trek and glad to take a good break before getting ready for more art-making. I'll be in touch soon again!

Au revoir,
Aude