Motivation

[Michele Rushworth]

I definitely find different things motivating me this year than I did three years ago when I started out exploring oil portraiture as a possible career.

Back then it was the joy of painting again (like play!) after not having picked up a brush for seven years. There was also the novelty of doing this kind of work as a whole.

Now things have changed and the reasons I go into the studio each day are different than they used to be. I now have serious business goals that I track monthly and quarterly, like production schedules and profitability objectives, so it's not like play or a novelty any more.

Now I paint for the challenges I set for myself, both from a business perspective (the production and profitability stuff) and for the ever higher quality goals I have set for the paintings I produce.

And I also paint because, after working at this an average of 30 hours every week for the past three years, there's still nothing I'd rather be doing. Nothing beats that buttery feel of perfectly mixed paint under a soft sable brush, in a beautiful color, defining a form "just so". And nothing beats that moment when a likeness jumps out at you and you feel, "ah, now it's him!"

How about everyone else? What makes you go to the easel every day?

[Geary Wootten]

Happy Puget Sound Evening!

Great post Michele.

I go to my studio everyday now because of three different necessities. The practical one is, of course, I actually now have "paying" commissions that will help meet my personal expenses. This has become especially poignant since my heart attack and a subsequent "lay off" at the sign shop I work at.

Secondly, there are just so darn many new things with regard to technique I am just dying to try out on a handful of new projects.

Lastly, and the main reason is......I simply have finally completely surrendered to the seduction of my first love......drawing. From my earliest recollections as a child to my present age, every single time I put an instrument of drawing in my hands, be it pencil, brush, or crayon......Time completely becomes vapor.

Who else here has started to "just put in an hour or so" on something at 8 or 9 pm and the next thing you realize is the sound of birds outside your window chirping away looking for their breakfasts?

-Geary

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Geary Wootten

......Time completely becomes vapor.

Who else here has started to "just put in an hour or so" on something at 8 or 9 pm and the next thing you realize is the sound of birds outside your window chirping away looking for their breakfasts?

-Geary

Wow Geary, I hear you!

I just realized its 4 AM here in my studio (deadline tomorrow on a portrait), and I am quitting and going to bed! So far no bird chirping yet.

[Linda Brandon]

Well, here's a subject close to my heart. Anyone interested in reading about research into the concept of "losing yourself in your work" should read "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, found here on this Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

The author maintains that flow is a narrow channel between anxiety and boredom and that optimal existence happens in this space. In fact, most of human activities involve a fruitless seeking of happiness when what we really want is 'flow'.

Speaking for myself, I find that a lot of the puttering around that I do is to prepare myself to get to this 'flow' point of the day. I think that getting in this state of flow is what really draws artists to their work, not the prospect of fame or money - it's the (extremely addictive) thrill of connection with the work process. It really has nothing to do with how "good" the work is as an end product. The idea is to lose yourself in the process of painting, and that is what will keep you coming back to your easel until you actually do get "good".

I find this stuff fascinating.

[Michele Rushworth]

...getting in this state of flow is what really draws artists to their work.

I agree! All those endorphins we get when we're in a "flow" state are addictive, aren't they?

[Henry Wienhold]

To me painting just feels right, I know I'm in the right place. It's a connection deep within, and rather difficult to put into words. Possibly words aren't sufficent enough to describe my experience with painting, or my love for it.

I'm in competition with no one but myself when I paint. I challenge myself to improve, to try new ideas and concepts. The work of other artists past and present provide me with the fuel and inspiration to keep moving forward.

The goals that I have set for myself are quite difficult to accomplish and hard to achieve, but thats what I like about painting portraits and creating fine art. It's the difficulty, the hard that makes it good and worthwhile. If it was easy I would probably put down my brushes and quit.

To be able to work at something you love and get paid for your service is a blessing. The icing on the cake is when a client is totaly satisfied with the finished portrait, and you have given them something of value and signifigance.

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

There are many activities which absorb me but none which results in such a wonderful product as painting. When my studio was upstairs in our son's old bedroom I could wander past, go in to take a quick look at the current work, and find myself many hours later, painting away. Now that my studio is across the driveway I have to make a more conscious effort to fight inertia and get over there. It's so easy to be sidetracked by the computer, a good book, or even housework. I do not have a strict schedule for myself because days are often taken up with meetings or other obligations. Recently I had three commissions going at once - a first for me - so I needed to make time to put in more hours than usual. It was a very good feeling to be so immersed in the creative process.

I agree with Henry - to be able to be paid to do something you love is a privilege indeed!

[Patricia Joyce]

I am still so new at this that every drawing is a revelation for me. Many times as the drawing is developing, my mind is in awe. "Is it really me creating this??!" I, too, have the experience of complete wonder and total surge of joy when the person rises out of the paper, right before my eyes. The drawing catches that twinkle in the eye, or the softness of personality, the soft curve of her neck, the pride in his shoulders, etc.

However, cast next to the sunshine of this joy is the shadow colored with envy and sadness. At 48 I have lost so many years. It is often hard to read of other's lives, those my age and much younger, who have had formal training, and years of working on their craft.

So, TIME is my great motivator. I want the chance, yet in my life, to live at doing art full time, perhaps even support myself with my art (or find a rich patron to support me so I can do my art!! As in the days of yore!!) I suffer from arthritis and worry that my TIME is so limited, yet I have to work to support myself, with little left over for pursuit of my first love!

But, mostly, I am grateful and thankful to my Creator, for yet the chance to develop His gift.

[Michele Rushworth]

However, cast next to the sunshine of this joy is the shadow colored with envy and sadness. At 48 I have lost so many years.

I just finished reading a novel in which one of the characters is a jazz musician, who played with ferocious intensity. The reason for this is that he came to music so late in his life. His motto was "Never stop making up for lost time."

[Patricia Joyce]

Thanks, Michele,

I love it! Might print it large and post in my studio!! By the way, thank you for mentioning the Frye Museum in Seattle. We visited it last Friday on our 1/2 day in the city and I was so impressed with the collection. Even the kids enjoyed many of the paintings and especially the illustrations in the first section of the museum.

I was suprised to see the two Bouguereau's, one at the peak of his career and the other at the end of his life. The last piece was almost impressionistic because he was so impaired by his eyesight and I would imagine control of the paintbrush and mediums. But still an amazing painting. I spent quite awhile studying them both.

I guess the desire, the drive to create art lasts until the end of our life. I was in a gallery in Key West last year was taken with some ceramic tile mosaics. They were figures painted over a series of tiles and just so beautiful and expressive. In this extensive gallery, the piece also caught my friend, Jack's eye. We learned the work was by a local artist. She has lived in the Keys for many many years, inependantly. She was in her late 80's!!!

One of my art instructors brought in a slide of an exquisite portrait. He told us that this gentleman's work keeps improving, year after year, but he had recently experienced a true leap in quality of work. He is 88 years old!

There's hope for me!!!