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I AM an Artist!

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What an overwhelmingly positive response to my blog post yesterday!

I am (as you can see over there on the right) a member of “Cloth & Clay Dolls” and I post my blogs over there as well as on other sites too and I had some amazing and incredibly positive responses to my thoughts yesterday.

It boosted my confidence no end and I feel ready to get back into playing!

It is very easy with the background I have to stumble at times and to lose my confidence – people who should be right there at the forefront supporting me have knocked me on the head with a baseball bat time and time again (figuratively speaking!) … so unfortunately it is not that far from being confident to believing I am not good at what I do.

To be told you are not an artist is never helpful, as creativity is so often directly connected to happiness and self-belief, however yesterday so many of you told me through stories of your own and supportive and kind messages that I AM an artist – and I will treasure and chose to believe every one of you from now on!

It is a promise – cross my heart and all that!

With that said – guess what … one of the girls on Cloth and Clay Dolls told me about this challenge that ADQ has at the moment – they always have a challenge, and I did see it when I read the magazine – I’ve seen all of them but always thought “I can’t do that” … but hang on … why not?

If indeed I am better at being told what to do (like with the “I need an airplane cake”!) why not go for a challenge – that is exactly the same thing … someone is telling me what the rules are, they tell you what to do and this time the challenge is “Book Character Doll”.

Perfect right?

My head is bursting with images from all my favorite books and it was great fun last night around the dinner table talking about what the kids thought I should do – “Frodo” or “Dobby” came up – with “Dobby” (Harry Potter is a BIG deal in our house!) being my preferred idea of those two, “Pinocchio” and “Cinderella” were mentioned too  - but then we got onto H.C. Andersen’s fairy tales which of course I have to pick something from (being Danish and all that !) so where we are at the moment is “The Emperor’s New Clothes” – I’m telling you my son had the most amazing ideas … and I had to gently tell him that I thought he was thinking I’m slightly (!) better at making dolls than I really am!

This is so exciting – I do not know if I’ll finish this doll in time or if it is worth showing the world but what it is for sure – it is a chance for me to do a doll, all on my own and actually have someone to share it with along the road.

Because Cloth & Clay Dolls have a group of girls who support each other all through it – and I joined that group yesterday … so really – there is no going back now is there!

It is a very different girl who is writing today – I’m sure you can tell … with the support you all give when I’m low it is (fortunately!) not easy to stay low for long.

Thank you All!

 

Filed Under: Chit Chat

Becoming an Artist – lesson 1

February 21, 2012 By 1 Comment

I’m on a roll here – lessons in this … lessons in that!

But seriously, “How to become and Artist” is what I want to talk a little about today.

Because I have become an artist in just 1 month!

I’ve been almost 42 years in the making … but I believe I am now able to – with pride – call myself an Artist.

I actually, while walking the Oodle (short for dog?!) yesterday, had a train of thought about this … it went something like …  ”I wonder what my children will say when asked “what does your Mum do?”" … I’m not entirely sure what they would answer but for the first time ever I want them to say “She’s an Artist”.

Now, I am positive there are those of you out there that goes “why is this such a big deal” – and let me try to tell you why.

Because if you’ve been reading this blog from the start, which was only November, then you’ll know that I have struggled mightily with defining myself – despite you all leaving wonderful comments to the contrary and people telling me for years.

I heard what you’ve said – I just didn’t believe it.

But then I made a list.

And that is what is so remarkable – I made a simple list – 5 points … and this was only on February 1st … 20 days ago.

I came up with the list – I decided the points – and I set my heart on following it to the “t”.

The interesting thing to me is this – I myself, have managed to change my thoughts – I’m sure you, like me, know that there are things out there … books to read, DVD’s to watch, CD’s to listen to and seminars to take on this exact phenomenon.

Make a list – follow it through – think only positive thoughts.

I have heard about those, but I didn’t actually follow any specific person or trend.

I didn’t think about it being a process.

It naturally became one.

I found some books online that I thought might be helpful – I even talked about one of them here “The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women” – and I’m sure that some of it helped me on my way, but really I lost interest in that book by chapter 5 … this is not unheard of – I often lose interest in books around chapter 5 :)

But when I picked that book I also looked at this one “Taking Flight – to give your Creative spirit Wings”.

So I got that last week.

… and so far I haven’t lost interest …

… but then again – I’m only on Chapter 3 …

The book is very different – I think – It does suggest you make an artist journal and other creative things along the way, I skip those – mainly because I have too many other project on the go, but also because I don’t necessarily believe that those will help me on my way (gosh – that is called arrogance I’m sure?)

Anyways – yesterday I read the chapter about “Facing your Fears” … and guess what – I’m not the only one out there struggling to call themselves an artist … there are many of us.

And I guess that bottom line is about us not having a final piece of paper – a degree that says “You’re now an artist” …

Artistry is too loose – too whimsical – too ephemeral – (that is Mr. Hubby’s word … I didn’t even know this one!) – transient would be mine :)

There is no “right” or “wrong” … no end result … you continue to evolve and move about … which is wonderful but also scary and unsure to many.

I suggest that if any of you struggle calling yourself an artist – this book is a good one – it makes you see that your thoughts are not just yours, that many believe and think like you, and that in itself can be very helpful and eye-opening.

Check out the book – but see if the library has it – because what if by Chapter 5 I lose interest again and can no longer stand behind it – then I’d hate for you to have bought it just because I suggest it for now.

I also suggest making a list – and follow it … because with that I’m feeling much more positive.

I believe I am an artist and I believe I will live the rest of my life as an artist.

And I believe my art is just right – it doesn’t need to be anything specific to anyone in particular – my art is my art and it is a creation I choose to make … it is entirely what it should be – nothing more, nothing less.

(oh … and by the way … I’ll try asking the kids tonight what they answer when people ask them what their Mum does for a living … I’ll let you know what they say!)

 

 

Filed Under: Chit Chat