Inspired
Posted by Diane Debevec on Thursday, April 7, 2011
My father (a sometime writer) used to say that writing was 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.
What I know to be true for painting and my own work is a bit different. Generally inspiration is thought of as a flash of brilliance, a complete thought-form or idea just ready to be executed. (Executed being the more friendly definition of THAT word, which is to say created rather than destroyed).
For me, inspiration is more the thing that keeps me working, the motivation to show up and paint. The bright lights might show up while I'm working, and those certainly egg me on. But if they don't show up, and I continue to show up anyway, then I consider myself both lucky and inspired.
Yesterday I had trouble figuring out what I wanted to do with my students that evening. After spending a good part of the day very stuck, I finally went to the studio to prepare the space for their session, and as I did this the agenda for the class became clear. I had them continue where we left off last time, and I joined them in making a painting of my own.
Today in turn was a great studio day...I continued to work on the little painting I started last night, and three others that are in various stages of completion. I returned home this afternoon feeling sated.
This evening I went to the Weston Art Gallery to hear a talk on the current exhibit, Narrative Figuration. The curator, Daniel Brown, and the five artists gave an informal panel talk about their individual work and also how they know one another, draw together, and support one another. The artists include Emil Robinson, Tina Tammaro, Daniel O'Connor, Rob Anderson, and Tim Parsley.
I've had several classes with Emil, and have been in open studio with the others at Manifest. It's an amazing show, and I highly recommend it if you get a chance. It's at the Weston until June 5th.
What I know to be true for painting and my own work is a bit different. Generally inspiration is thought of as a flash of brilliance, a complete thought-form or idea just ready to be executed. (Executed being the more friendly definition of THAT word, which is to say created rather than destroyed).
For me, inspiration is more the thing that keeps me working, the motivation to show up and paint. The bright lights might show up while I'm working, and those certainly egg me on. But if they don't show up, and I continue to show up anyway, then I consider myself both lucky and inspired.
Yesterday I had trouble figuring out what I wanted to do with my students that evening. After spending a good part of the day very stuck, I finally went to the studio to prepare the space for their session, and as I did this the agenda for the class became clear. I had them continue where we left off last time, and I joined them in making a painting of my own.
Today in turn was a great studio day...I continued to work on the little painting I started last night, and three others that are in various stages of completion. I returned home this afternoon feeling sated.
This evening I went to the Weston Art Gallery to hear a talk on the current exhibit, Narrative Figuration. The curator, Daniel Brown, and the five artists gave an informal panel talk about their individual work and also how they know one another, draw together, and support one another. The artists include Emil Robinson, Tina Tammaro, Daniel O'Connor, Rob Anderson, and Tim Parsley.
I've had several classes with Emil, and have been in open studio with the others at Manifest. It's an amazing show, and I highly recommend it if you get a chance. It's at the Weston until June 5th.
I plan to blog as a way to chronicle this amazing journey of living into a more creative life. A daily journal-writer since 1999, writing has become integral to my life. Hopefully it will add perspective and dimension to this website.
Happy reading!
