Do you find creating art when life gets difficult to be impossible? It’s tough to get past thinking about your woes.
I’ve discovered a way that helps me move forward in the studio.
Discouraging delays
This current group of Wabi-Sabi inspired paintings took too long because I didn’t allow for the extended time for oil-based ink to dry.
So, In spite of making many videos well in advance, they were now all published. I hated getting back on that dreaded treadmill of creating, editing and publishing videos every week!
I almost wanted to quit!
However, I made a life-changing decision, years ago, to NOT allow my emotions or circumstances to rule my life.
Creating Art when life gets difficult
At 38 years old, after the breakup of my marriage, I moved with my children back to Kansas to be close to my parents.
Hoping to continue my fledgling portrait business I’d started back in California, I bought a small easel and a few art supplies and set it all up in my bedroom. My plans were to create art after the kids were tucked in at night.
dealing with reality
The easel, gathered dust in the corner, taunting me every night as I wearily crawled into bed.
As a working-again mother, going through a crazy divorce, I underestimated the emotional and physical toll I’d face. Meeting the needs of my young, emotionally fragile kids, while trying to do well in my day job as a project assistant, left little in the tank for making art after the children were tucked in bed.
The divorce was eventually finalised and I slowly better balanced solo parenting with my career demands. But, I still couldn’t get to the easel.
How I changed my thinking
The big change in my thinking came from a one-day leadership training workshop with John Maxwell. It ignited my imagination to recognise that I could be leader over my own life. But, it was vital to know that the ladder I chose to climb was leaning against the building I wanted to ascend. My aspirations needed to align with my inner values.
the real work began
For several months, with my easel gathering more dust, I scoured Maxwell’s books to understand how to ascertain what truly mattered to me. Still contending with solo mothering and work duties, I was buoyed by the prospect of having agency over the direction of my life.
working a dream
Invigorated by writing down my discovered dreams for my children and myself, I wrote down goals. Then I planned what I could do to achieve my goals. Then worked my plans the best I knew how, no matter how I felt. Not perfectly and certainly not without struggle.
Making motions forward everyday, even imperfectly, brought about results I liked. Eventually.
showing up
That’s when I began showing up at my easel most days…still weary from the day, but buoyed by a way forward.
What had essentially changed for me was knowing my why, then creating AND following an imperfect path to doing what I valued…creating art! I liked the agency I had over my feelings.
knowing your values
I valued modelling to my children that important goals could be achieved by persevering.
(This is one of the whys for my website, this blog, and my YouTube channel. I want to model to my adult children and grandchildren that it’s never to late too do that which aligns to your values and aspirations.)
I also valued my Faith and self-respect.This gave me the confidence to start an art ministry at church. We had two successful exhibitions.Then love intervened and I moved to NZ. That was over 20 years ago.
Simply knowing my why gave me the courage, and impetus to act every day.
values matter
For me, knowing your why is the most important thing to know in art and in life. I place so much importance on this, that I take the time to review my dreams every year and readjust my plans, as needed. Then I work my plans.
do you struggle with creating art when life gets difficult?
Do you struggle with creating art when life gets difficult? Are you tired and don’t feel like it, or, there’s simply too much going on?
Then, perhaps, it’s time to discover your why.
“Living Forward” by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy is an excellent read for this. My current life plans are based the strategies given in that book which I read and notated several years ago. Their advise and philosophies have helped sustained me through the craziness of the past several years of closing my business and the major repair of my home last year.
John Maxwell’s wisdom is forever excellent. I highly recommend him.
Of course, a plethora of people online can help you. Shout out to Struthless for his video on Jerry Seinfeld and Harnessing the Stallion. I highly recommend you watch it, after you watch mine!
(continued below)
Wabi Sabi Derivative
works in progress
Solo Mother years
Life in new zealand
Design studio time for a
productive year
Five part series by Beverly Claridge.
Click a box to read or watch video.
The way forward.
Whoever you choose to read, watch their video, or even go to their seminar, make sure you do these four things:
- Read or listen carefully.
- Take notes.
- Figure out how you can implement what they are suggesting, given the realities of your life.
- Then find a way to do what is recommended.
You can watch my series that shows how designing my time in the studio propelled my creativity forward in 2023 into 2024. It all begins with knowing your why. Click here to watch the first video of five in the series.
the magic sauce!
One caution: Aspirational videos can stir your emotions and bolster your intentions. However, intentions accomplish nothing. I fully encourage you partaking these resources but make sure you have pen and paper in hand. Then set aside time to make plans that are adjusted to the boundaries of my own life.
Then make a motion forward every day. This is the “magic sauce” of a good life and a meaningful time creating art in the studio.
Final thoughts
I had hoped these seven works would be ready in time for my video and this blogpost, but, I had to change my plans.
I now post a blog and upload a video as often as I sanely can rather than weekly. And, I am still committed to creating 52 works in 52 weeks.
My dreams, targets and plans can and do change; but not my values. That’s why I urge your to discover them.
My values compel me to step in to the studio, as planned, to make at least one forward motion to completing my pursuit of making 52 abstracts in 52 weeks. I urge you to get up every day and work your plan. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve with one small forward motion every day consistently over a period of time.
Click here to see the first set of final Wabi Sabi Derivative works.
Then click here to see the final version. Knowing what I value and taking time off last summer allowed me to return to the works with fresh eyes.
Making art when life gets hard
the video
wabi Sabi Originals
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Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi No. 3 -Abstract on Fabriano by Beverly Claridge
$300.00 – $350.00 This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi No. 4 – Inktense Abstract by Beverly Claridge
$300.00 – $350.00 This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi No. 6 Abstract on Paper by Beverly Claridge
$300.00 – $350.00 This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi No. 7 Abstract on paper by Beverly Claridge
$300.00 – $350.00 This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi No.5 Abstract on Paper by Beverly Claridge
$300.00 – $350.00 This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
