submissive to every thing, open, listening

The title of this post is taken from Belief and Technique for Modern Prose, List of Essentials by Jack Kerouac, a list that I have had taped to the walls of my various homes for almost 15 years.  It continues to be full of sage advice for surviving creatively.  This particular advice, #2 on his list, is how I'm approaching the end of 2012 as I prepare to set goals and clear my vision for the new year ahead.  As we all know, the end of a calendar is an arbitrary marker of time, but it also provides a defined moment in which to reflect, process, and gather one's strength to move forward.

Þhingvellir National Park, Iceland - mrll 2012

I know many people who beat themselves up for making the same resolutions year after year, but I think that renewing your resolve to be always improving is not something to be ashamed of, it is something to celebrate and a reminder of the power of our will and discipline.

After a wonderfully stimulating and lengthy phone conversation yesterday with one of my closest friends, I have a bit of a list for myself; a basic daily structure around which I can build my goals and plans for the new year.  She reminded me about the potent exercise of Morning Pages, taken from The Artist's Way, a book on my own personal list of essentials for creativity.  We encouraged each other to have faith in ourselves, to believe in possibility, and to persevere when things get tough.  We talked about going on a diet from the Internet (imagine!) and the amount of time that would free up for productive endeavours.  We discussed starting the day with yoga & a protein shake rather than coffee & sugary cereal.  She is a fellow photographer, and we will be collaborating on a photo-a-day project beginning January 1st that we will post on our respective blogs.

As 2013 rapidly approaches, I am taking the time to be thankful for the blessings that came into my life in 2012, and for all the successes and lessons of the past year.  I am looking for patterns and indicators of the direction to head next, for signs and signals, for opportunities and collaborations, for wonder and knowledge, for challenges and goals.  Most of all at the close of the year I feel thankful for the people in my life, my amazing friends and family, colleagues, mentors, and acquaintances, who are making this life so exciting, so uplifting, and so truly magical.  Happy New Year.

blocks are for building

canal house, Amsterdam - mrll 2012

Everyone knows about Writer's Block, it's hugely famous and has accounted for a lot of historical drinking by authors.  The thing is, you can get blocked doing anything creative.  I happen to be at the moment in a weird limbo place of feeling visually blocked, where I have just been kind of banging around in my studio and not actually hitting upon anything.  I know that the moment will pass, and in the meantime it's a great opportunity to tend to tedious admin tasks, like updating websites and CVs, and to explore the work of other artists, find inspiration, and participate in my community.

Recently a fellow Charlottetown artist, Donnalee Downe, and I teamed up to organize a 'support group' of sorts for isolated artists; a montly gathering for sharing and collaboration, and so we don't all go nuts holed up in our studios over the long, dark winter.  This kind of thing is what I miss most about being in school - having a constant community available for dialogue & collaboration.  Well, we'll just have to create it ourselves, 'tis the name of the game on small islands:  you want it, you build it.

And for inspiration?  O Internet, you magical beast full of goodies :)   Right now I'm getting fuel from amazing sculptural books, assemblage, residencies I want to attend like this one, and getting encouragement from projects like 100 Bad Paintings.

Every part of the process is a part of it, and no matter what, you must trust your own process - that much I know is true.