Think Big! What would help you think big and see yourself mastering large projects and getting known in the world? Let’s take a look! Most people can’t answer the question, how can I think bigger about my art and my career? They don’t know what inner movement would allow them to see themselves equal to tackling enormous projects or becoming a star in their field. If they do come up with an answer, it typically sounds like “Maybe I need to find more time” or “Maybe I need to recover from my early traumas.” Rarely … Continue reading →

The more you align your thoughts with your intentions the more great painting you’ll do! Here are some simple ideas for getting a better grip on your mind … Do you feel mentally fatigued a lot? Feeling mentally fatigued isn’t exactly the same thing as feeling physically fatigued. Sometimes we’re mentally fatigued because we’ve been using our brain all day and we’ve so-to-speak used up our neurons – that’s pretty analogous to getting physically tired. But more often we get mentally fatigued as a result of feeling taxed by the work directly in front of … Continue reading →

Last week I chatted about “the maybe trap.” Each of us knows why we shouldn’t hang out in maybe. Maybe is a state that puts us right the verge of meaninglessness. Maybe plays to our weaknesses, our anxieties, and our doubts. Maybe annoys us, frustrates us, and disappoints us. But still we get trapped there because of our everyday resistance to mustering our inner resources, pulling ourselves by the collar or the bootstraps in the direction of some hard creative work, sticking with that work even in the face of inevitable messes, and then doing … Continue reading →

Are you trapped in maybe, that special indecisiveness that can haunt an artist? Find out more now! What does being trapped in maybe sound like? Q: “Which will be your painting days this week?” A: “Maybe I can get in some painting on Tuesday and Thursday.” Q: “Will you approach some galleries on your trip to New York?” A: “Maybe if I have a little time left over after family obligations.” Q: “When are you planning on moving to the larger format paintings we discussed?” A: “Maybe when I can find some cheaper canvas.” And … Continue reading →

Last week I chatted about Jane, who had trouble embracing “complete abstraction.” By contrast, Bill was already painting fully abstractly when he called me. In his case, he wanted to move away from full abstraction but didn’t know why he wanted to make that move and didn’t know in what direction he wanted to move.  He only knew, as he put it, that “my paintings aren’t testing me and, bottom line, they feel too easy.” Ten minutes into the session Bill revealed what was on his mind. “I love the figure.  But I came to … Continue reading →

A painter we’ll call Jane had become reasonably successful creating and selling a certain kind of imagery: abstract paintings whose major motifs were triangles and circles.  She complained to me that she wanted to try her hand at full abstraction and wanted to let go of the triangles and the circles but found that she couldn’t, that something in her balked at producing paintings where there was “nothing to read.” The precipitating crisis came when she visited a painter friend, looked at one of her friend’s new, fully abstract paintings, and blurted out, “That’s what … Continue reading →

Last week I explained why it’s wise to maintain our global contacts if we want to have a career in the arts. Here are some tips for doing exactly that! When you DO have news, make sure to share it. I coach my clients to prepare a brief news release whenever they have news: the news might be that they have begun painting much larger by moving to a series of four-foot by six-foot canvases; that they have landed a commission; that they have new representation; that their studio has moved; that they will be … Continue reading →

Say that you’re lucky enough to be represented in some galleries that are all located very far away from your hometown. How can you maintain good contact with them from a great distance? Here are some ideas! Virtually no one I work with in my capacity as a writer, creativity coach, and trainer of creativity coaches lives near me. The coaches I train reside in places like England, Hong Kong, and Australia. My clients are in similarly far-flung places. My nearest publisher is fifty miles away; my furthest, many thousands of miles. My literary agent … Continue reading →

Say that you do want to teach an art class? How should you begin? There are a number of different starting points and each has its merits. You might begin by: 1. Focusing on what you want to teach (say, life drawing) and then making decisions about how best to do that. 2. Focusing on who you want to teach (say, process-oriented folks who aren’t interested in “finished products”) and then making decisions about what they need and what would attract them. 3. Focusing on how you want to teach (say, creating an instructional DVD … Continue reading →