fearless Creating: Day Two

"What you have to do now is work.  There's no right way to start."

  --Anna Held Audette

Mind, Body, Spirit

JaSabin

So far I have three brave creators interested in joining me on this journey.  I know you will see their comments here and by linking to their blog.  (Please visit Roxanne at River Garden Studio, you can hook up with her by clicking on her blog just to the right of this page, under my blog roll.)  In the meantime, I will continue to share my experiences. 

The first chapter of "fearless Creating" is titled "Hushing and Holding" and just under the title, Nurturing the Wish to Create.  Ironically, I spend a lot of time thinking about the "wish to create" during our farm season.  I spend hours and hours and hours alone, delivering our flowers, and thinking about my work, thinking about painting, paintings and being creative.  Reflecting on this today I realized I am like people that long to visit a foreign country, but never buy a ticket, or pursue an intimate relationship with someone already committed.  

Hushing is a practice described in the book as a "quieting and an opening".  The artist is encouraged to practice quieting the mind, the author calls it "hushing".  Familiar with meditation this was not a new concept but I am making a conscious effort to practice "hushing" each day, especially before working in the studio.  If one hushes long enough, perhaps something will come along that is "vivacious", then one is encouraged to take that thought deeper and "hold" it.  The author uses the term "holding" to follow and explore that idea.  He says that "if your idea is vivacious and your mind hushed, you will discover that you are not wishing to create, but creating".  

Reflecting on this I know that some of my best work has come to me in this way.  I was not consciously hushing and holding, but by incorporating this practice in a very precise and regular way will encourage more vivacious work, work I can be really excited to do.

"I have to lose my mind to be able to concentrate."

--Hannah Wilke