"Living and Sustaining A Creative Life" by Sharon Louden
Since I've been riding this wonderfully creative phase for a few months, I want to continue to feed the fire. I've been reading a lot of inspirational books, and trying to make time in my schedule for attending talks. A few weeks ago I attended a talk by Sharon Louden, Andrew Simonet, Rene Travino and Zoe Charlton . I had been totally energized by Making: Your Life as an Artist. I will write about that soon. I hadn't yet read "Living and Sustaining A Creative Life" so I purchased a copy at the talk.
I came away from the talk, happy to have attending one at my Alma Mater and feeling that I was out and about. I ran into some old dear friends who are wonderful artist, Paul Daniels and Linda DePalma and was so glad to connect. It also reinforced this new way of thinking, this re-teaching myself that these ideas that filled my art school days weren't realistic. That being an artist takes on many looks and it doesn't reflect your worth.
The book is a collection of essays and interviews. These are some highlights, that really resonated with me:
"There seems and inherent contradiction between the linear activities required by the business of art, and the meandering, peripatetic, insight-oriented practice of creative work."
"In fact, much of my work is quite done in my head when I walk through my studio door, through I remain open to editing revising and even reneging when the material process demands it. "
"But I have learned that, for me, sustaining a creative life means that life has to be nourished first. Creativity follows sustenance."
"If I'm lucky, the painting will play me and I will rhumba with it. I let it have the lead, and I follow madly, careering after it for for as long as it lets me."
I love when another artist can put into words elements of the creative process that I can't