This isn't my first time through The Artist's Way. But, even when I went through it the first time--possibly the only time that I've done almost every exercise, worked through the book in sequence, and completed it--I had a specific goal: To recover the most creativity possible.
So anyway, now when I go through The Artist's Way, I often reach a point where I've recovered enough creativity to get rolling again as an artist. Will it sound weird if I say that stop working through TAW when I figure that I'm
creative enough? This time, fairly early into the book--maybe Chapter 3 or 4--I totally reorganized my creative priorities. I began to think of myself as, first, an artist, and
then... well, everything else (writer, webmaster, and so on).
A couple of weeks later--with no further actual progress in TAW--I completely reorganized the dining area in our apartment. (We never eat there. Ever.) I turned the table sideways, dropped both of its leaves, moved my easel into the room, and created a work area for myself on top of the table.
Then, I began painting again, after... gosh, it's been years since I last painted. It's been even longer since I worked on real paintings that take days if not weeks, and require oil paints. (I use water-soluble oils, as I have for at least ten years. I love them!)
Anyway, if I'm silent in terms of TAW, it's because I've been through it several times before. And, this time, fairly early into the process, I became
creative enough, again.
I define that as "having more ideas and creative energy than I have hours in the day." If my only real limits are related to the rest of my schedule (you know, such as eating and sleeping), I've achieved my TAW goals.
So, that's what's going on with me right now. What are you up to?
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