Art is Life – and how the creative process makes you face it

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Art is Life – and how the creative process makes you face it

Eternal Tulips, 36" x 48", mixed media on canvas ©Kellie Day
Eternal Tulips, 36" x 48", mixed media on canvas ©Kellie Day

Eternal Tulips, 36″ x 48″, mixed media on canvas, Available

“If you want to Improve your Art, Improve your Life”.

This quote really puts the pressure on. It’s so true. Art doesn’t lie. It is a reflection of who we are. We have to come to a very honest place with ourselves to make art, because when you are in the middle of the painting process, you are face to face with yourself.

If you’re not taking risks, being brave, and living your life honestly, your art reflects that. The more I am willing to face who I am – the dark and light places – and be open to it, my art opens as well.

“Making art is a constant interpersonal conversation with yourself, that you cannot hide from”.

It’s actually not always easy to find this place of painting from who you are. There are things that get in the way – trying to make a painting pretty, for one. Thinking about what you “should” be doing is another. Or what you think people want. Or what will sell.

The more you practice cutting through these layers and getting to your true “creative flow” despite them, this is the place of YOUR creative truth. And the more you do it, the better you get at getting there.

What happens along the way is a lot of bad art, and that’s OK.

Every creative person who commits to creating regularly has to learn that making art is not a means to an end – an end of creating a beautiful painting or poem or sonnet. It is instead, a lifelong exploration, and this is the exciting part.

There are some tricks and methods you can use to get into the zone. And I teach these and talk about them in my upcoming ART LIFE E-course, which starts Feb. 1. This online painting class also has a lesson with advice from experienced, working artists where they talk about how they get going, find time for art, and get into the zone. If you’re interested in learning more, click here to read about ART LIFE E-course.

Class starts Feb. 1. Sign up by Jan. 21 for 20%-off. PS. It makes a great Valentine’s gift!

Happy Sunday!

Kellie Day mixed media artist

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