friend, who is an artist. We discussed the power of
positive thinking, neuroplasticity and ways to access
it, and strategies for tackling difficult work. I felt
so energized after I hung up the phone. Kind artist
friends set you up for success. Their entire motivation
is to see you break through whatever barriers stop
you from moving forward, and in a good friendship your
motivation is the same -- to listen, love and encourage.
And to laugh. Perhaps the laughter and also the acknowledgement
of sorrows are the most important fuel for creativity.
They are for me. Laughter helps me stop taking my minor
worries so seriously, and sometimes with great friends
and family, laughter, sorrow and creativity are intertwined
into something close to the essence of life.
Taking a break from painting
Stages 5-8 (work in process)
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010
let me get back to a couple of works I'm slowly developing.
This is one of them. As far as I can see my method of
working with a more sustained work is a back and forwarding,
not a straight progression. I underpaint, then confidently
move to the next layer, then decide that that too is
underpainting in places, then move on. Tonight I did about
four layers in places on this one, and can see that for now this
is underpainting in many areas. But the most important thing
for me was the energy, which stayed constant, and the
good feeling I had as I listened to interesting programs on the
radio and continued to paint.
Have a talking-to-fantastic-artist-friends day.
