If you have followed me for very long you know I love to read as much as I love to sculpt. Recently I purchased a book by Tama Kieves called Inspired and Unstoppable and thought I would share some parts or thoughts with you.
The dictionary explanation of inspiration is "the creative impulse of an artist to be inspired is to be stimulated to have a motivating power".
Impulse...the sudden desire to do something
Create...to bring into being.
What inspires me to work on an animal, I either love that animal, its movements have caught my attention to detail or its grace, stealth or action. I have a passion for animals and even its ugliness sometimes can be beautiful. I at the same time feel a peacefulness or challenged depending on the difficulty of the piece.
Start each day with a plan, a positive attitude and a gratitude for the gift you have been given...the day the talent and the passion. One day I began work and had the music flowing and the creative juices going and actually accomplished quite a bit that day...what was the trick...go figure.
Artist are enigma in their attitude.
Are you jerked around by outside influences or do you have a plan each day?
Tama has such great thoughts:
"Let go of proving, striving, panting and always...needing to win". "I am succeeding just by being on this journey". If anything Tama knows how to use words to give you a visual like no other for instance..."we keep looking for the brownies, but this is a path of bread, sustenance in the everyday activities, rising in the task at hand". Also "tending even the pieces of lint in the belly button of my business", I would love to have that on a tee shirt.
Best quote pertaining to artist in her entire book though is..."you have to unzip your ducksuit, that waterproof layer that insulates you from allowing in praise and recognition."
Thank you Tama, for an ex-lawyer you are a fantastic mentor.
