“Artists are people driven by the tension between the desire to communicate and the desire to hide” – D.W. Winnicott
When I create something, I tend to be uptight about details. Some of it stems from my dedication to craft and artistry, but mostly it’s that I’m scared to show my messy side.
Studio Notes is an intentional practice to undo this paralyzing concern for perfection and be witnessed through the various phases of creation. The notion of practice feels useful here: we get better at something by doing the thing consistently and with an open, relaxed, and curious state of mind. A beginner’s mind.
I’ll sketch ideas as I go, stream-of-consciousness style, offering unfiltered glimpses into my creative process including things that inspire me, ideas I’m mulling over, painting tips, mostly ramblings, some insights, and also art-related updates like upcoming classes and workshops (To keep things simple, I’ve merged all my mailing lists with my Substack).
You can expect bi-monthly publications delivered to you in synch with the lunar cycle. Why the moon? Because my animal body is enmeshed in her phases, hormonally and psychically. I see my creative life as an extension of that–like all things that spring from the fertile void, live, reproduce, and die.
While I will be sharing behind-the-scenes content from my studio, I realize that the name Studio Notes is misleading: I no longer limit my art practice to what I make confined within these four walls. As someone who has dedicated countless hours to refining my painting skills, the growing resistance I felt toward spending any time in my studio initially scared me. But the pull towards new forms of artistic expression was irresistible. I gave in. It’s been revitalizing.
These days, along with visual art, my creative practice includes writing and pole dancing. I’ll write about all of these in Studio Notes since they inform and influence each other. I have come to find it unhelpful to compartmentalize the creative impulse (one that is essentially erotic) into specific forms of artistic expression or areas of life. It all comes from the same mysterious source. You can access it best by cultivating a flow state; it doesn’t really matter what you do to get there. If something makes you feel focused and alive, it’ll vitalize all other areas of your life and beautiful things will bloom.
I’ll close Studio Notes with three things that have been inspiring me:
Calm Marketing by Louise Stigell: A refreshing and encouraging take on marketing your creative business without social media. It’s a big reason why I’m dusting off my Substack.
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg: Writing as a Zen practice. A guide and invitation to keep the pen going until the writing does itself and you find the essential, awake speech that’s truly yours.
Deep Work by Cal Newport: If you’re concerned by social media and digital tech’s corrosive impact on your attention, this book will motivate you to prioritize your capacity for attention so you can improve your craft and create meaningful work.
Don’t by shy, leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.