Living an Artist's Life

I've been thinking a lot about this idea of an artist's life. I really do believe that artists live differently than other people, or at least that we experience life differently.

And if we lose touch with our creativity, I think it's usually because we've lost touch with our lives a little bit. Maybe we've stopped noticing what's around us. Or maybe we've stopped nurturing our inner lives? Or perhaps we've lost our ability to let ourselves be nurtured by life.

I noticed this in many of the answers I received last week, when I asked "what gets in the way of your art?"

For many people, life is one thing and art is another but the two things don't seem to fit together. These people view art as something they do with a brush or pencil in their hand, but actually all of your life can be filled with art and inspiration and we make our best art when art is our life and our life is art. 

Others described feeling uninspired, which goes back to this inability to be nurtured by life.This is a big one for me. I am often in a hurry to cross things off my to-do list, or absorbed in catering for other peoples' needs, and when that happens, life starts to pass me by a little bit. Good things happen but I barely notice them. It's as though I'm on a train passing through beautiful scenery but I don't even look out the window. 

At these times, I have to take conscious steps to get back in touch with all that is wonderful and inspiring. I may have to spend some time going inwards to get in touch with my strongest feelings and values. Or I may have to spend some time in nature, or out and about doing things I find inspiring (hello antique shops!)

Another big issue was time - art is something that has to be fitted into the cracks of life, rather than something that seamlessly weaves in and out. These artists described feeling guilty about leaving a spouse alone or not doing chores. As if art is something less important than other things,when actually I think our own fulfilment is as important as anything else we can do. Because if we're not fulfilled, we can't give our best to other people.

And the final common thread was fear.... fear of not being good enough or fear of somehow getting it wrong. This last one is a real killer. Yes we can protect ourselves by not trying, but good grief just think what we're missing out on! 

It really struck me how much the answers were about finding a way to live as an artist. Because being an artist is about so much more than going into a studio to make things. In fact, I don't think that can happen successfully unless we lay the groundwork. 

See, I think the quality of our art comes from the way we live our life. As an example, if we rush through life without paying attention, how can we make art about life? If we button up our emotions and cover up our reactions, how can we make art that moves other people? 

Art can be many things - it can be joyful or sad, loud or quiet, abstract or realistic, personal or political. But what it can't be is guarded or unaware. 

I worked on some self-portraits this week and I shared a few of them publicly.

I'm proud of these portraits,not because they are especially good technically, but because they show something more than the surface of things. They feel honest to me and they feel aware and they feel alive.

I can't always say that about the art I make. There are times when I lose touch with my emotions or with my inspiration and then my art goes flat.

And this is why I feel it's so important to live your life as an artist, rather than keeping your art and your life separately.

When you are emotional, make art about it. When you are out and about, notice everything. Pay attention to other artists and learn about art history. Make space and time for creativity no matter what else is happening. And also make space and time for reflection, no matter what else is happening. Even the busiest life can be lived as an artist (but it might mean less scrolling on Instagram, less Netflix, or less housework).

And if this sounds like something you want to do, jump into Art Tribe before it's too late!