Tag Archives: art books

art, intuitive art

How to paint intuitively, inspiring books

How to paint intuitively is something worth pursuing. In this post, I’m talking about a couple of wonderful artist / writers who forged the path of using intuition in art.

The below post is for my email subscribers I sent out today.

I hope you had a great May, and happy belated Memorial Day. 🙂 Summer is here!

I was racking my brain for a YouTube video this month and came up empty, which is okay. I was thinking back on my evolution as an artist, remembering the books that got me started on intuitive painting back in the 90s. I will talk about them in a minute.

I was pondering how we conform even in art. I often jump on Pinterest to check out various styles, and they are pretty much all the same.
Have you noticed how all the cars on the road kind of look the same? A BMW looks like a Honda. The cars in the 1950s had great style, and if you could afford an expensive vehicle, there was no mistaking the status of the car.  Where did this conformity start? We’re told what is “in” by advertising, of course. Brainwashing…

Selling on etsy, I think about what might sell, rather than just “going for it” and see what happens. I love my quirky clay characters that evolved from painting and polymer clay mosaics. It’s easy to see what sells the most; the items that conform to the accepted styles (as per Pinterest). It’s hard to explain. I have many items that don’t conform, and they don’t sell well. I loved (still do) making polymer clay mosaic boxes and plaques, and they sold, but then one day, they stopped selling. Abruptly.

I tell myself the Universe is saying, “stretch your wings; try something new and different. I do, and sometimes I’m surprised.
This fun character is my latest effort.

Every day I ask myself, “What will make me feel inspired?” If it’s a character, I will make one, but it could be painting or art journaling. Sometimes I crochet or write (fiction).  I don’t force anything, and intuition is about doing what makes me feel good.

If it’s hyper-realistic oil portraits or childlike paintings you love, go for it!!
Art is a lifelong pursuit, and there’s no way of knowing where the muse will take you. Just create something.

Children never wonder if their art will sell, they live in the moment and enjoy slapping paint on paper without thought to outcome.

Back in the 90s, I came across this book:
(I took the pictures from Amazon, so they’re not very good.) Click on the pictures for the link.)

Painting from the Source, by Aviva Gold. This is how the description starts: Imagine yourself painting with no hesitations, no conflicts. Your brush dips into pots of vibrantly colored paint; inner inspiration guides your hand into lines and shapes that find their perfect places on the paper.

I was sooo inspired by this book that I began painting like that. I made huge paintings that don’t look like anything I paint today. Here’s an old picture of a painting on paper. It hangs in my bedroom now, and I feel happy when I look at it.

The women appeared in all the layers, and I was stunned as everything took form. No plans, only one brush stroke after another. Sooo freeing! That kind of art has depth.

Another writer / artist I admire is Michele Cassou. I think she’s the founder of all contemporary intuitive painting. She passed away last year, but left a great legacy.

With eloquence and simplicity, the authors encourage the reader to journey inward toward his or her authentic self and discover the unique intuition awaiting there. It is this intuition that provides all the tools the reader needs to crumble the barrier between the innermost self and its uncensored manifestation.

Follow the extraordinary life journey of passionate painter Michele Cassou, who discovered a revolutionary approach to intuitive painting that opens doorways into the mystery of existence and its spiritual dimensions.From her childhood in the midst of World War ll France to her profound experiences there, in Canada, and in the United States, Michele exposes the ins and outs of an intense life of creativity- the hidden, the forgotten, and the sacred- in this moving, poetic collection of stories.

You won’t think about art the same way if you read these books. There are used copies on Amazon to buy, and I recommend the paperbacks.

It’s easy but not easy to paint that way.  You start on a painting and get stuck in the middle. The mind says this is bad, but when you persevere and stick with it, the art will reveal itself.  Judgment is always going to lurk, but ask yourself, “What is my next brush stroke,” and go from there (even if you don’t want to.)

Lots of love and inspiration!


P.S. Check out my new items in my shop  EarthandFaery.

art, creativity, inspirational, motivational, process, unstuck

When inspiration fails.

 

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When inspiration fails what do you do? I get that question a lot as an artist, and I can tell you the muse is often fickle, but one thing I have learned: you are not a slave to the muse! Maybe everything flows more smoothly with the muse on hand to pave a rosy path, but when all you can see is a creative desert ahead, what do you do?  To get to the other side, you have to walk through the desert, or do you?  I don’t believe in that but the challenge would certainly give you stamina and stick-to-it-iveness. However, art is not something we do in survival mode but more like following an easy stream.

Here are a couple of things I do when the muse refuses to be part of my life:

  1. Take a walk. Yes, it’s a great way to shake off the cobwebs and take in new inspiration. The colors and shapes are great for new ideas. Walks are always good for general problem solving as well.
  2.  Look at art books. The classics and more modern artists are always inspiring. Through the pages I can absorb the energy of their work and find myself eager to try something new on my canvas. Nothing wrong with copying elements and then make them your own.
  3. Get out of the studio and meet a friend. Lunch out is one of the world’s greatest pleasures, and if you have a good friend that does not annoy you by talking incessantly about themselves, it’s a BONUS.
  4. If you live in a city, go to an art museum. This falls in the same category as looking at art books, but it also gets you out of the studio, another BONUS.
  5. Try kickstarting your art by gluing down bits of papers at random on the surface. Let your hand and eye coordinate and see what comes up next on the page or canvas, and then take that step, and the next, and the next. Just try something new, a new angle, and new color.
  6. Use a color palette you rarely use. Example: if you always paint in cool colors, make yourself use only warm colors for the next project. Your sense of playing it safe will rebel, but it’s easy enough to send it packing for one piece of experimental art. Ugly is okay.
  7. Learn a new craft. Look through some craft books at the bookstore and see if anything pulls you in. Crafting can be mindless and meditative, and you might find yourself creating a pile of cool gifts.
  8. Let someone else paint on your canvas. Taking the pressure off the process can be very freeing.
  9. Paint with your hands. You can really feel the paint when you use your hands. It’s a more intimate creative way to paint. If you don’t like to paint throw a handful of mixed ripped papers on your canvas and glue them down where they land. It can become the start of a whole new way of making art!
  10. When all else fails buy some new art supplies! I think that is my favorite suggestion. I love (and my muse loves) a new art supply challenge. A shiny new box of pencils or crayons can light up your world. It does mine.

No matter what you choose to do to interrupt a creative drought, do SOMETHING.  The drought is temporary. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and paint the same over and over, but it’s just as easy to challenge yourself to something new. 🙂

Happy creating,

Maria

P.S. I have some freebie challenges on my website you can try to break the drought. CLICK HERE.