The artists way

[Susan Hosken]

I have started the artists way if anyone is interested. You can read along each week or just jump in with your ideas about the comments I write. The first chapter is about safety. How safe are you in your creative life? Have you always been safe? Also when did you consider yourself an artist?
lots of love from susan in australia

[Susan Hosken]

Valerie, I hope it is OK that you don't have a job. Are you looking or decided to have a break?
lots of love from susan in australia

[Susan Hosken]

TAW..C7..perfectionism
I am very critical of my creative work but trying to be more accepting of my talents. Are you a perfectionist? Does it get in the way of your creating?

Enjoy the journey

Lots of love from Susan in Australia

[Valerie]

You know Susan, I never think of myself as a perfectionist. Yet my mother always said I was. I take pride in my work and know when it isn't perfect, but that is what I percieve as perfect. What I did as opposed to what I could have done or thought I should be able to do. Ya know?

I can look at someones work and think it is perfect. But they can look at it and see what they wanted to do and didn't accomplish, and to them it isn't perfect. I'm always surprised when someone sees my art and loves it. All I can see are the imperfections. Like beauty, perfect is in the eye of the beholder.

And for the record, I love your art. I think it is perfect.

[MARY]

It depends on the day and the art. I know I'm in a learning stage with sketching so I am giving myself permission to really suck. I know that in order to get better I need to draw..so I draw. I've accepted I am a mediocre guitar player. That's okay..it's always been okay..I play for me (although for a couple years I did play in a 'praise team'...which was really hard). My writing I'm a tyrant over myself. My punctuation sucks, I don't know what I'm doing half the time, where I am is never where I think I 'should' be. I'm really hard on myself with writing. In my other art I do get to a point where I deem it done. Then I tell it, "you're done." and that's that. It's always a struggle I guess. ..sigh..

[Ang Monsoon]

Mary you write with energy. I've never noticed anything about yr. punctuation. There are people who are experts at punctuation but it doesn't mean anyone would want to read what they'd written. Anyway, I thought Editors helped even "famous" writer with that kinda stuff. I can imagine that some people would itch to correct my punctuation.....some people are like that, & some people here get uptight 'cos a person(i.e. me) spells stationary/stationery wrong. i truly don't give a damn about that kinda thing.

[Ang Monsoon]

hi all,

I don't think I am a perfectionist. For instance if I decorate a room in my home I am a cowboy - I just want it done as quick as possible & don't worry about little imperfections. I'm generally like a little kid with everything I create, being kinda amazed that i've made something, & pleased about it. With collage I just throw myself straight in, i just love the process, and am completely carried away. I think it gives my work energy & movement. On the other hand as a "finished" piece of work I can see that it would benefit from more care in the finishing. I'm just not a patient person & so it suffers because of that. With poetry, as i've said elsewhere, previously i've cut it to bits. Its a kind of reductionism i guess. Haiku to the point of disappearance. I'm not sure its perfectionism. Maybe a bit. I think as I define my identity & build my awareness of who i am and what kind of poetry writer I am, i will treat my work with more respect. I know it is important to polish one's work so that other people can enjoy it. probably it's best to come at it afresh some time later...I guess I'll have to work on my impatience if I want to do justice to my inspiration.

[debb]

LOL.... that is me as well
the walls are painted up to the ceiling where we 'edged' with a piece of cardboard... my mom thinks we need to finish it & we call it Done

[Ang Monsoon]

SNAP!! then. We have to live with it?!

[MARY]

..giggling...I struggle with stationary/stationery as well! I just recently goofed on it! hehheh...I've been re-evaluating just how important being 'published' really is to me. I do have some stories that I'd love to get out there simply because..well..they are rather imaginative and have a wonderful 'lesson'. I like writing fables.

[Susan Hosken]

It's easy to remember stationery vs stationary. The one with the e is for envelopes which means stationery.

[MARY]

Oh I just love it...I'll ALWAYS remember now 'e' for envelopes...thanks Susan :)

[Ang Monsoon]

don't be stationary (?) with this, get your wheels rolling now.......