
This week I began an evening art course at Kingston University; a 'pre-foundation portfolio' course. It's fun to be a real beginner again and tonight I took a risk and decided to draw a self portrait instead of watching tv. I've taken a couple of short art courses over the past two terms with artist
Stephanie Wilkinson and I have such a long way to go (although Stephanie is an amazing teacher). But what I love about this journey is the being free to make mistakes, being free to make bad or mediocre art and say 'that's ok'. It's what I encourage my writing clients to do all the time- back to Maupassant's 'Get black on white'. Just get something down and wait for the interesting creative accident. This self portrait is, I feel, at least a little closer to a likeness than the last one I did when working with Stephanie, so I can see progress and that's exciting. I'm doing this just for the pleasure of it and I think that's how we should write too: because we love the art of creation, not because we're looking for some prize at the end of it. Publication is a wonderful treat and being able to share the work and make money from one's art is an amazing feeling - so long as in the process we don't lose sight of why we made art in the first place.
Sharing this self-portrait here is part of my new 'Be Brave' project. I'm taking the idea from artist Jessie Marianiello who began the project in 2007 (so I'm rather late for the party!). Here's Jessie's 2008 post about the idea. It stems from the Eleanor Roosevelt quotation: "Do one thing every day that scares you." When I first saw Jessie's post, some months ago now, I found it inspiring, but I wasn't ready to take up the challenge. Now I am. I began the project six days ago. This is what I've done each day. Not things that terrify me of course: no sky-diving or solo trips to the Arctic. Just small things that push me beyond my comfort zone (and take me forward in my life.) I'm trying to see this as a challenge to look at things differently, so sometimes I may do more than one thing in a day, but I have to say, it has been a fabulous week.
Here's what I've done thus far. Every day I've faced the blank page of my novel (oh yes, still scary) and I've also:
Day One - Sunday - Researched MAs in Art History on the web and printed details about three courses.
Day Two - Monday - Enrolled on a short course in Art History (High Renaissance - 1860) starting January.
Day Three - Tuesday - Bought an online 'Learn to Play Guitar' course at Jamorama
Day Four - Wednesday - Emailed my agent and asked if she was still happy to look at the first three chapters of my edited novel to be certain I'm on the right track with this rewrite. (She said 'of course' and instantly). Attended the art course at Kingston, only to find out I was only one of two mature students in a class of twenty - yikes!
Day Five - Thursday - Invested in Dave Navarro's 'More Buyer's Mastermind' which is totally fabulous by the way and only $97 dollars until Monday (then it goes up to $197 and no, I'm not an affiliate, just a fan). Dave Navarro is brilliant by the way and if you're not on his Monday morning 'Kick in the Ass' list, you should be - it's fab.) I listened to the first interview with Naomi Dunford of Ittzybiz en route to the British Library where I spent the day writing and polishing those three chapters to perfection.
Day Six - Launched my Career Development Coaching for writers on my website; practised guitar; sent the three chapters to my agent, did a self-portrait, posted it here and stayed up far too late. (Early nights clearly scare me, I need to tackle that one...)
I have no idea what I will do to be brave tomorrow. My daughter plans to take me shopping for halloween goodies. My only plan for the evening is to watch the X Factor. I hope to see Stephanie's work at the Landmark Arts Centre Autumn Art Fair but I'm not planning to buy any paintings. (Have spent enough on myself for one week.) I'll let you know...
But most of all I want to thank Jessie for inspiring me and for the most amazing week! I feel incredibly energised knowing, each day, that I have to push myself just a bit further than I usually would. I remember seeing a post Jessie wrote some time ago about the day she got her new art studio - and how it wouldn't have happened without the 'Be Brave' project. She now runs her own business, 'Stray Dog Arts', painting dogs for a living.
I'm going to encourage every writer who comes to me for the Career Development Coaching to be brave alongside me. I'm looking forward to meeting many new writers and working together for their success. And I'm really happy about the future I'm building - writing, painting, studying and coaching others as they take their own creative journeys.
If you'd like to join in with the 'Be Brave' project, why not leave a comment here to let me know what you're doing to be brave? I'd love to hear and we can encourage each other.
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