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Nature is not a placid sort of thing, not to artists! Here are ten artists on wild nature: ** "I try to work all over the canvas at once, because I feel that the forces of nature are unpredictable."-- Nell Blaine "Snow. Beauty everywhere, nothing but beauty. And...

The following report is contributed by the French writer and visual artist Michael: I was sexually abused as a child at age eleven by my uncle and I also suffered prolonged emotional, psychological and physical abuse while growing up, in particular from my father. The...

Trauma can harm us in two ways. First, it can live on in memory, exploding into consciousness and flooding us with powerful, painful emotions. Second, it is a change agent that can transform us in seriously unfortunate ways, turning us into a weaker, sadder, more...

Just making enough money so as to be able to live is a painful part of virtually every creative individual’s personal story. Some opt for second careers that then consume them; others become dependent on loved ones; others struggle with poor-paying, demeaning day...

There are many diverse and complicated ways in which early trauma, recent trauma, and ongoing trauma affect your ability to create, influence your subject matter choices, and make living the creative life that much more difficult. I am currently researching the...

Is it discipline or is it devotion? Or is it both! "People think I am disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference." -- Luciano Pavarotti "I had what it takes to make a good artist: sensitivity and tremendous willpower." -- Alice Neel...

Here are the concluding four tips on how to prove the exception. Enjoy! 7. Become really available You could act as if relating in the marketplace is a tremendously burdensome thing and make yourself only grudgingly available—for meetings, for interviews, for audience...

In a past post I provided three tips for proving the exception as an artist. In this post, I’ll provide three more and next week I’ll conclude with a last four. Proving the exception is vital: I hope these tips help point the way! 4. Step into the shoes of “someone...

Boredom is a serious psychological and existential problem for many people and an especially serious problem for creatives in recovery. If you’re creative, you’re likely to find boredom unbearable. That dreadful feeling is a trigger for using drugs or alcohol or...

Most artists experience fewer marketplace opportunities than they want or need. When one of those precious few opportunities nets little or nothing, the pain is tremendous. How can you deal with the reality that even marketed, promoted, and hyped events may produce...