Inspiration Fridays! Have you seen this before?

Have you seen this before?

Rinse and repeat. When I work on my paintings, I try to work in series.

“I have to see a thing a thousand times before I see it once.” – Thomas Wolfe

Whether I’m using the same palette of colors throughout, or focusing repeatedly on a singular subject, the act of revisiting an idea again and again is surprisingly creative.

The first pass catches me trying to get it right. I look for what I know, or at least what I assume I know. The second iteration begins to show me the flaws in those assumptions.

By the third round, my impatience begins to kick in. I’ve done this before, and I am itching to do it in a new way. Redundancy gives way to risk and experimentation. The limitations imposed by repetition push me to try to see differently.

 

8paint Inspirations Fridays Have you seen this before?

Riding Over Rothko, Excalibur, Summer Haze – Gabriel Mark Lipper

We are all creatures of habit.  Many of our habits follow us about as we stumble blindly through our days, like whispering pixies, or a mild case of dandruff. They are waiting to be seen.

When we’re painting, we have a chance to slow down and look at those behaviors that show up without invitation. The foot we continually stand on while painting or the colors that we never deviate from. That ugly stage in the painting when we need a snack. Working in a series lays these consistencies bare, and gives us a chance to rethink them.

The next time you have a painting that you like, paint it again. Paint it consciously. And look for ways to make it better. Look for ways to make it new.

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Have you painted the same painting more than once?

Can we see what keeps us stuck?

Do you work in a series?

 

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Inspiration Fridays! Have you painted the best painting ever?

Have you painted the best painting ever?

When was the last time that you pretended you were a superhero?

“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.” – Aldous Huxley

I’m not defining superhero as the person who holds down a job while tending to the needs and wants of family, keeping the house clean, bills paid, yard tended, and maintaining a certain elevated level of civility when talking politics with their relatives. That’s definitely next level superhero stuff. But that’s not what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about believing that you can fly. Really believing it. Maybe not so much that you try to jump off the roof, but at least so much that you put on a cape and change your name.

 

Superpowers - 30"x24" - acrylic on panel - Gabriel Mark Lipper

Superpowers – 30″x24″ – acrylic on panel – Gabriel Mark Lipper

When is the last time that you suspended your own disbelief? When is the last time that you allowed yourself to believe that you were capable of doing the impossible? It’s hard to do. For many of us the mere idea of that kind of openness to possibility seems foolish. It seems like you’re setting yourself up for something. That kind of thinking can only end in disaster.

It’s also where the greatness is. Putting aside the can’ts and shoulds , and replacing them with   I can be anything.

For a moment each day, give yourself that gift. Set aside some time to imagine and create. When you’re making a drawing or painting a painting, remind yourself how good it feels to be the best artist in the world. Allow yourself to believe it. With art, no one can say otherwise. Keep your creativity sacred. Your art is invincible.

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Can you see your art through the eyes of a child?

What if you couldn’t make a mistake?

Have you painted the best painting ever?

 

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Inspiration Fridays! Are Flowers Worth It?

Are Flowers Worth It?

This world isn’t always generous to artists.

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” – John F. Kennedy

I’ve got a couple of approaches to tackling that kind of infinity. One… is to go big picture.

The demands of family, finance, and daily life can regularly sideline our passion for creativity. But what can be even more dangerous to our creativity, are the messages that we tell ourselves about our desire to create.

Giving ourselves the space that we need to create is very much like buying ourselves a beautiful bouquet of flowers. At first, the decision might seem impractical.

“What do I need these flowers for?, They’re expensive, I can’t eat them, and they’ll be dead in a week! The whole idea is ludicrous.”

 

8paint Inspiration Fridays Are Flowers Worth It?

Flowers in the studio.

But take them home, clip the stems, and set them in a vase… watch as your whole house is transformed. Their beauty is palpable. The vibrant colors, intoxicating smells, and exotic shapes elevate the space. When people enter, they notice and respond. They breathe deeper, smile a bit more, and there is a glint of appreciation for the thoughtfulness that a bouquet of flowers implies.

In the same way, when we take time to nourish our creativity and set aside our art as not only beautiful, but important, the ripples that this kind of intention creates in our lives are far-reaching.

Don’t underestimate the value of doing what you love. It is rich and right, and it permeates everything that is your life with a kind of next-level betterness. When we honor our creative path, it has a direct effect on the people in our closest circles and eventually, our community at large.

So, instead of branding your need to paint as irresponsible, consider the pursuit of your art as something sacred. Days go by too quickly, but I have the art on my walls, and the memory of flowers.

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How do you assign value to an idea?

Do you allow yourself to make the world more beautiful?

Are flowers worth it?

 

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