Success is a Lonely Walk we must take by Ourselves

"Siesta"  8 x 10 original drawing (reminds me of Key West!)

Being an artist is a lonely pursuit. Remembering what you know and putting it into practice requires self-motivation, skill and continued study. I’ve known artists who are professional students. They constantly take classes, but never quite get beyond the stage of exploration. They think that the next great class will surely make the difference between success and failure and in their ability to paint that perfect painting. Sadly, it never happens.

Only you can develop your brush strokes and style. You may learn value and color, you may understand another person’s technique and recommendations, but unless you continually practice your brush strokes and develop your own process for painting, you’ll be stuck.

"The Neptunes -- Octoband"   http://etsy.com/shop/anfinsenart

Plugging away and working while everyone else is at play is difficult. In order to climb, you must put in the time. It is by doing that we learn. We can read every book on the planet, and take all the classes available to us, but if we don’t put into practice what we have learned, our dreams of success remain in limbo.

"The Neptunes -- Trumpeteers" http://etsy.com/shop/anfinsenart

The biggest hurdle for most artists is finding time and space. Don’t wait until all your ducks are in a row. Don’t put off painting until you have the ideal space or allocated chunks of time. Delays are excuses. They keep us from making commitments.

Robert Genn’s twice-weekly newsletter is being done by his daughter, Sara, in his absence. Sara shared this gem a few days ago:

“Here's my version of English author and illustrator Neil Gaiman's Eight Rules for Writing. I've modified them for painters:

1. Paint.

2. Put your first stroke down and move on with another stroke. Work your strokes and let your strokes work you.
 

3. Stop the painting before you think you should.
 

4. Put your painting aside and start another painting.

5. Always keep in mind that you are your own best critic.

6. Perfection in painting is probably not possible. Excellence in painting is for people who appreciate the poetry of your soul.
 

7. Your style is what you're doing academically wrong. Radicalize yourself -- you only have one life to show you've got style.

8. You need to paint with enough assurance and confidence to know you can do whatever you like. So paint your story and make painting your life. Be honest with yourself about your progress. Always try to do a better job than you did the day before. I'm not sure there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.”

And finally another quote from Gaiman’s book: "I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes," says Gaiman, "Because if you're making mistakes... you're Doing Something."

That’s all we can really do, friends. We can keep on making mistakes, and sometimes we may get lucky. (Below: work in progress "Fuchsia Fantastic #1, #2)

If You’re not having Fun – Re-evaluate your Priorities

"The Neptunes -- Trumpeteers" acrylic on 11 x 14 panel

Some time ago, I began to feel stressed out, pushed, and out of control. I was trying to be all things to all people. Once I started asking myself: “What do you want and need?” I gravitated back to basics and to what I felt were the most important priorities in my life.

We all get lost sometimes. We struggle with peer pressure, with other people’s expectation’s for us, and with simple lack of time. When we rediscover our own power and the freedom that we have to make choices, everything else falls into place.

Next in The Neptunes series: "Octoband" drawing (Marachi theme)

Yes, our choices belong to us. If they don’t, we’re allowing ourselves to be manipulated. Since we are the only one who is accountable for our choices, shouldn’t we be the one making those important life decisions?

Time is money. We’ve all heard that statement. We should live by it. Time is not only valuable, it is essential to our growth. If we can’t manage our time then time (and outside forces) will manage us!

We must harness the power within us to make choices that are right for us. For me that means listening to my heart of hearts and weighing and measuring those things that I consider meaningful and valuable in my life or that will help me promote my professional goals, my family goals, and my eternal goals.

Then comes the hard part: ordering those goals so that they fulfill our emotional, physical and spiritual needs. People are complex. We are not machines owned and operated by chance or fate. We have free will and determination. The power is within us to guide our own lives.

"Stepping Out" pencil drawing (prints available)

Instead of whining about what we don’t have or what we think we can’t do, we should be celebrating life itself. We are free. We can think our own thoughts, feel our own unique emotions, and allow ourselves to be as successful as our dreams.

"I'll never fly again!" from the book: "Inez
Ibis Flies again; the story of a courageous
ibis who never gave up!"

We can conquer fear. We can move forward in spite of deprivation or ill will. Through our thoughts, our choices, our determination, we can soar where we dream. If we link our hopes to a power greater than ourselves, we get a hand up and a hand out to greatness. We can be inspired. We can become.

"Bob White" drawing (prints available)