Why does the muse choose the most inconvenient time to visit us? What can you do to capture those flashes of brilliance? #creativity #muse #art
Use Mise en Place with Your Art
Artists need to think more like chefs. Mise en place before you create. #creativity #productivity #art
The Power of the Post-It Note
Keep your inner saboteur from derailing your creative process. Unleash the power of the Post It note. #creativity #art
Creating Art: Analog vs Digital
I got my first Mac, a big clunky tan block, back in the early 1980s. Way back then, to copy a file, you had to do a little dane with the floppy discs, swapping them over and over — a digital Hokey Pokey (put your new disc in, pull your new disc out…). So yeah,… Continue reading Creating Art: Analog vs Digital
Earthquake People vs Hurricane People
I live on the west coast down in earthquake country. Whenever I speak to people from any other area, they always ask if I’m worried about earthquakes. Folks outside of California are terrified of our tectonic rumblings. But why? It all goes back to a game I played with my daughter while idling in line… Continue reading Earthquake People vs Hurricane People
Be the Best at Failing
I am a school teacher. Sixth grade. Over twenty years now. And I always give my students the same motto: Failure is not an option. It is a step. I stole that little nugget of advice from Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson. And it is an astounding talking point to have in class. But… We all… Continue reading Be the Best at Failing
Don’t Torture Yourself
There is a myth about the tortured artists. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Artists throws themselves into alcohol or drugs or sex, and in such a frenzied state, the work produced is sheer brilliance. I say this is pure BS. And I have empirical evidence to back me up. A study of famous artists (like Monet,… Continue reading Don’t Torture Yourself
Takes Risks with Your Art
I shave with a straight razor. At first, I thought it was manly and cool — I imagined some amorphous audience watching and admiring my efforts. But there was never anyone there. The cool squad never drove up to give me my prize. Now it serves as a meditative space. Shaving is a skilled routine,… Continue reading Takes Risks with Your Art
Shift Your Wishes
I often dream of being a successful writer. But often I ignore the writer part and focus on the successful part. What is it about success that draws us all in? It certainly isn’t the celebrity, at least for me. I’m notoriously shy. If you sit down to talk with me, within moments, I will… Continue reading Shift Your Wishes
Don’t Overseason Your Art
Continuing along the lines of cooking as a metaphor to making art, it’s important not to clutter your creativity with a proliferation of details, platitudes and those little darlings you think you can’t live without. Let me step deeply into this metaphor by talking about an Alton Brown recipe I recently tried (Yes, I’m one… Continue reading Don’t Overseason Your Art
