My 10 Rules for Making Art

Every artist should write down their own rules for making art. Writing rules down (just like writing anything down) gives weight, purpose, meaning and a sense we know what were doing (even if we don't, which may be most of the time). Because with art, it can sometimes be said that there are no rules, but unconsciously we adhere to certain ones because boundaries and limits actually give us freedom.

Here are 10 rules I've come up with (that are all notes to self):

1. Write. When you write you gain clarity. The best art comes from a clear mind.


2. Make every day.


3. Make from truth.


4. Overthinking kills creativity: Just start making something.


5. Give ideas a chance even if its a ten minute sketch. Those ideas will often lead you to new ideas you wouldn't have dreamed of.


6. Share only what you feel compelled to share, even if its a thought of a piece you made.


7. Empathize with your audience, but don't let them dictate what you make. That includes (most importantly) the people in your head. See #3


8. Don't get discouraged by people not liking, commenting on, engaging with or even hating your work. Keep making and you will get better. Keep putting your work in more places and the right audience will find you.


9. When you feel stifled by your medium, engage with other mediums. Make a bad song. Act out a monologue. Dance. Plate your dinner. Use kids art supplies. Make something from nature. Pretend you are in a film...(the possibilities are endless)


10. When in doubt, write.

 

 

Making Instead of Abandoning the Idea

I've had a lot of ideas, notions, dreams, what-if's, etc... that I've abandoned over the years. I've written down ideas thinking "This could be an awesome painting" and just looking at the words is exciting. Then sometimes I will come back to that same idea and try to attempt it. "What was I thinking? This is silly! Should I make this? Maybe I'll work on this better idea". And the idea will fade away into the ether.

Overthinking is the thief of ideas...and joy.

There is a difference between being selective about ideas with one's limited time to work, and abandoning ideas before they have a chance to become something.

I am currently on day 61 of my third 100 day project. If you glance at my Instagram you might think I'm just like "Yeah dude, I'm doing this. This is so effortless for me!" But the reality is that every single day I doubt myself and my abilities and want to stop sharing, yet every single day I push past those thoughts because the fear of failure is worse than actually failing. Failing does not feel good, and I fail every day.

Ideas often fall short. The work that I make often does not resonate with people who are either indifferent or uninterested. So why keep going? Because every artist, musician, writer, athlete, human being whom I deeply respect has had those often soul crushing experiences. The key is that they didn't give up. The only way to close the gap between what I make and what I wish to make, is by making a large volume of work.

I find that working on a consecutive project where I am producing work every day pushes me to work out ideas that I might normally have cast aside for fear of "wasting time". The process is never a waste of time right? Every wise human knows this. Yet often that fact can only really be known in retrospect.

Each idea is a catalyst for another. Writing down words creates room for more words. Making drawings makes room for other drawings. Making songs makes room for new songs.

 

How can one know what the good ideas are? It's only by making so many (often bad) pieces of work that the good (and great) ones start to surface.

My Brother

I’ve kept the memory of my brother Chris alive in my mind for 19 years. For many years the awareness of who he was was too painful to acknowledge. I was angry that he left me alone on this earth. He was my comrade. My teacher. My first and only true friend. Because of him, I love writing and music and comedy.

He understood from an early age what life was about. If only I could have had Chris  around in my twenties. If only I could have seen him move through life, just four year older than I was. He would have inspired so many more people, but he will always inspire me.

When I was about sixteen, Chris gave me this intro to philosophy textbook and said “I’ll only let you keep this if you will read it”. He was passionate, wrote poetry, and loved asking questions and diving deeper. But my favorite thing about him was how he was curious about people and genuinely cared about them in a way that is rare for anyone. I will never understand why his life had to be cut short. I feel the devastating loss of his potential. I feel immense joy from his memory.

Chris took me to see the first Jurassic Park in the theatre. I didn't want to see the violent part so he told me when to close my eyes, even though I'm sure he wanted me to experience the entire movie. I’ll always remember that feeling. This was the same brother who convinced me to go on Collossus at Magic Mountain even though I was begging to change my mind at the last minute. He said “Once you are locked in you have to ride, it’s the rules” and when it was over and I had an awesome time, he was so excited saying “Aren’t you glad you went? I was just kidding, you could have gotten off the ride! But see? You had fun!” Oh, my brother. He was brave and wanted me to be brave as well.

I think of my brother Chris  today and I’ll think of him tomorrow. I will always wish he was here. I will tell Juniper about her uncle and I will show her his writings one day. When I watch her devouring all kinds of food I feel joy and gratitude remember how much Chris loved good food.

There is that Beatles lyric that says “She’s not a girl who misses much”…well, I am not that girl. I miss my brother. I miss memories I'll never have with him. I miss his hilarious, poetic, soulful, generous presence. His incomparable personality. It’s always hard to convey his loss to people who have never met him. I’ve often felt a deep loneliness without my big brother here. Yet, as long as I am alive, the memory and beauty of who he was lives on through me in whatever way I can manage it. 

He will forever be the inspiration behind why I put my art out into the world. When he was here, I was too shy to show it to him.

I won’t always post things publicly on this date, but this year I felt compelled to share some thoughts. It’s taken me this many years to even come close to be able to write something like this, let alone share it.

I miss you Chris, and I wish you were here.

I also want to say thank you to my Mom for bringing him into the world. You have showed strength without measure, and despite your profound sadness and grief, you still show up with generosity, kindness and love. I love you always.

Moon Conversations & The 100 Day Challenge

The Summer of Shooting Stars

Pools of Light

Hands Extending into the Blue

Pressing on the Golden Stem

Leaves As Gems

& A Book of Clouds. 

Those are some of the titles I've come up with as prompts for my next series of illustrations, 100 Moon Conversations. There have been these magical ideas floating around in my head that fill me with happiness yet I haven't taken the time to draw them. This year, I've written out 100 abstract notions/lyrical phrasings derived from song lyrics and poems I've written with the goals of 1) creating images I want to see out in the world and 2) making a book. I've rekindled my love for writing by waking before 6am, meditating for ten minutes and then writing before working on art.

I've rediscovered that writing is always the answer to improving and inspiring the artistic process.

On April 4th, along with many other people all over the world doing all sorts of projects, I'll be starting another 100 day journey.

In my first project 100 Dreamy Beach Babes, I came up with a little illustration (literally, they started out approximately 2 x 2") of a whimsical girl on the beach. In my second project, 100 Ten Minute Skies, I went for a conceptual approach where I would draw the sky everyday for ten minutes no matter what it looked like.

Every idea sounds interesting when you start. The challenge is in pushing through, not falling behind, and finding new ways of approaching your idea when it inevitably gets monotonous.

In those projects, I thought my themes were specific enough to yield continual inspiration, but I found myself spending a lot of time finding a reference photo for the "beach babe" (I later just took self portraits) and by day 20 I was already bored with painting a girl and the sea. I realized that even small paintings took me quite a bit of time.

[caption id="attachment_12166" align="alignnone" width="950"] Dreamy Beach Babe on Day 76, measuring approximately 4 x 5"[/caption]

The following year, at the start of Ten Minute Clouds, the Kilauea volcano erupted and filled the skies with thick vog, creating skies that were white and gray for many months. I quickly adjusted my focus and started to create abstract works inspired by the sky. It was the simple act of making; dedicating time to drawing (often while my daughter ate breakfast), observing what I could make in ten minutes, and pushing through creative frustration that brought the most happiness.

In my first project I learned the importance of preparation for the 100 days. Practice beforehand, imagine what the situation will be when you are working, and consider how long each piece will take.

[caption id="attachment_12160" align="aligncenter" width="744"] 100 Ten Minute Skies on Day 6[/caption]

In the second project I learned that a timer is a valuable tool. Think you don't have time for something? You can actually accomplish quite a lot in ten focused minutes instead of scrolling social media or watching a show.

Essentially, the most important part of any 100 day project is just doing something... every single day, no matter what. When you push through boredom and tedium you will find new ideas you never thought were there. The magic is in the consistency. Constraints and routine can equal the utmost freedom.

If you are doing the 100 day project or interested in one, I'd love to hear from you.

31 Gems in July

OLD BLOG IS HERE 

Every post on this blog after this one probably won't show pictures. The posts are continued here: http://angelainthesea.blogspot.com/

Three Photographs Of Where I live In Hawaii

 

 

Sunprint of Weeds

photosensitive dye on bristol paper