Blog

We cause our own distress if we magnify the difficulty of our tasks. Our tasks are already real: there is no need to magnify them. Our language should not make hills into mountains. Making mountains out of hills is a habit to avoid. Refusing to add incendiary language...

This past week I taught a weeklong writing workshop at Esalen (on the Big Sur coast of California). Some of the writers in the room got as much as a quarter of their current book written—because they sat in their chairs and wrote! There is simply no substitute for...

Van Gogh explained, “If we look at a Japanese artist, we see a man who is undoubtedly wise. What does he spend his time doing? Studying a single blade of grass.” It is rare for a busy artist, one who is trying to find time to create and also trying to deal with the...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...