What a beautiful thought.

Words have power and every month I choose a new quote as a meditation on what it means to be in my art studio.

I love the quiet. I love the silence when I’m reading a beautiful book, hiking in the woods or canyons; I love the quiet of the soft wind; I love the quiet of painting and only hearing the soft scritch-scratch of the pastels on the paper.

Have you ever been in your studio painting and it is as if time has stopped and the quiet of the moment completely washes over you? Have you lost track of time, forgotten to eat, (forgotten about the laundry?!), and felt as if time was lost and someone else was painting?

In these still, small moments, I feel a surety in my work that brings me to the real point of today’s post.

What is it saying?

This week, I want you to create a moment of quiet. Surround yourself with your work (even if you have very few paintings). I want you to sit with them in the quiet and grab a pen and some paper. Now, I want you to write down 25 words that describe what you feel and see when you look at those pieces.

These could be good things or even bad. You may hear a negative critic whispering in your ear.  (you can politely tell it to be quiet).

There are no wrong “words” but we do want to steer our thoughts towards the positive.

(Just as we wouldn’t tell a child who is learning to walk….”how amateurish!”  “You can’t even walk?!” “That was a really bad step you just took…” we’re not going to berate ourselves over our work).

Try to focus on the good words you want to convey.  What do you want your work to be about?

What is your art’s vocabulary? 

These are some of my words: 

These words form your vocabulary.  This is your main idea, your story.

This is your brand! 

Are there any words you want to change or eliminate?

Which are your top 10?

Which ones do you feel most exemplify YOU and YOUR work?

If you’re “not quite there” – which words do you hope for?

Tape them to your backer board on your easel. Put them in your studio where you can read them everyday. If your words change, wonderful! You’re further defining and curating your art!

There are no rules, this is your work, your art, your space. You get to say what enters, what leaves, and what stays. This is your quiet space, your time to silence the outside shouting.

As you do this, I would love to hear some of your words.

I want my work to BE “a moment of quiet in a loud, shouting world.”

What do you want your art to be?

xoxo,

Bethany