Silencing the Critic

I pulled some more monotypes yesterday. I find it interesting with art, how some days are fun and exhilarating. Those days are in stark contrast to the days when the creating of art is more like a bloodletting. Yesterday was one of those excruciating days. I almost gave it all up after only an hour. I was unhappy with everything I was doing, nothing seemed to be working well, I was having trouble focusing on what I was doing, the colors all seemed wrong, etc. Ugh. It felt like I was using the blood from my veins, instead of ink. Yet, I kept telling myself to keep going. I thought of the words of Julia Cameron (from her book, The Artists' Way) when she talks about the inner critic, and how if we listen to the critic, we stop doing art and become blocked. So I ignored the inner critic - who was yelling at me to pack up and go home. I managed to stay up there for a full day. The best part is that when I got home and pulled out the work I had done, I really liked what I saw. Here is one of the monotypes from yesterday - maybe not my favorite one - but the only one that was dry enough to put in the scanner.

This one feels very figurative to me, and I like how moody it is. I have been experimenting quite a lot with these monotypes, which means there is a high fatality factor (work that doesn't turn out.) It also means that when the risk pays off, it seems to pay big. That is such a triumphant feeling. I will post more from yesterday, when they dry a little more. I am using a lot more ink, and it is oil based ink, so it has been taking them several days to dry completely.

It sounds like there might be an offer on our house this week. I am excited, and also a little sad. I like our house, and I know once an offer becomes a contract, things will probably move pretty quickly. Then I will have to say goodbye to my little town, Salida, where I have dear friends. As always, it is the people that I find hard to leave. I have never had so many artist friends in my life, and I will really miss that. Despite that, I also know that we are moving on to the next adventure.