I was scared to make art. Here's how I came to love it.
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Let me tell you a story about finding artistic fulfillment beyond the confines of a 9-5 job and overcoming the challenges that block our creative expression.
📚 Some of the Books I've Written:
📕 The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be the Artist You Truly Are: geni.us/X4Uvh (Amazon)
📘 Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are: geni.us/qawK (Amazon)
📗 Shut Your Monkey: How to Control Your Inner Critic and Get More Done: geni.us/GV1O3 (Amazon)
📙 You do you: Essays on being creative. geni.us/tjhoB5 (Amazon)
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I am pushing eighty, and struggling to get over a lifetime of conditioning (by others and then by myself) that I was incapable of doing anything artistic. After retirement I took some art classes at the local junior colleges (including drawing and watercolor) and did all right, but fell back into old attitudes. I am beginning to get past the idea that I must be able to do a complete, interesting, and accurate drawing or painting from direct observation, but am not there yet. The tremor in my hands secondary to repetitive stress injuries has decreased considerably since my retirement six years ago--- sometimes it goes away completely. This helps; thank you. I am thinking I will take your ten-day drawing challenge.
Oh yes, you spoke of doodling; I never did that.
Good luck ❤. I’m 75 and have struggled with it being a legitimate use of my time…..💙🩵💙
I'm one of your tribe. Studied fine arts but needed money to survive and became a graphic designer. Your comments about creativity under stress for others (management, client, etc.) is spot on. I'm very close to retiring and the burnout I have is real. I hope I have enough time left on this planet to create the images that I know are within me.
Thanks for sharing!
Same. Needed money and ended up in the security industry. Now 30 years later I'm trying to find my way back to art but I am beset by fear. Hope to see your creativity one day.
I sit and watch and I cry because I hear ME! And thing is I've been searching because life caused me to stray away from what I first loved...ART, DRAWING, COLORING, PAINTING! Mind you I still stayed close to creative fields...photography, graphic design, digital art, website design, and I also tried to attend art shows from time to time but I always, always, always had a deep down burning and yearning desire to get my hands dirty and paint again. There were moments where I actually did BUT I never gained the traction. There were moments where I was commissioned from time to time to do something and I did it BUT I would get lost again in the mundane routine of life. It's just so amazing that over the years I would search all these different phrases to gain inspiration to get creative and get back into art full swing but could never seem to find the one thing that spoke to me and now; your content pops up, which has been around for years! But you know what this tells me? It's time! You're ready! You have to do it! Just start! Thank you!
For me, this is the best of your essays. What you said about fear hit the nail on the head. I bought a very large canvas to paint to fill the space on my wall where once hung a large Tv. I want to paint it but I’m afraid. Why? It’s my house and my wall. …..
Do it. If you don’t like it just paint over it!
I have a possible answer... what we imagine is always so much better than what we can create in paints or ink. Don't wait until you are in your 70s to finally do it. It's way too late by then!
@@kathleenhensley5951Too late for me? I've just turned 70 and am about to enter my 3rd year at University studying Fine Art painting. Should I give up? Not until my dying day!
So... I have been struggling for 4-5 years. I have always loved doing art and being creative- it felt so good. About 4-5 years ago, I hit a couple bumps. My mom ended up in the hospital for several weeks. She recovered. And friend went through a suicidal period- he came through. For some reason I couldn't do art any more. I have a friend who was quite a good painter and he just stopped. I thought how terrible that must have been. Now, here I am. I long for the satisfaction of creating but at the same time feel repelled by the idea. I don't know why... Maybe I'm afraid of resenting my loved ones for pulling my attention from art?? So to avoid that, I just don't. Anyway, if anyone can crack that... Anywho, I love listening to you Danny. Thanks a million!
Maybe start by drawing something using simple media, and something that is not your preferred style or subject, in order to loosen up and get started. I find that I sometimes do my best work this way because I "care less", but the moment I focus on my favourite subject I become a perfectionist and I'm paralysed, I almost deliberately sabotage my work by drawing badly. Good luck!
My creativity has suffered terribly during times of deep crisis. I'm the same way. I don't know what to do but keep trying to break the dam. Good luck, you aren't alone.
For me it happened 25 years ago. I had a terrible year with a lot of loss. Every time I began to focus on painting…something bad happened. In my mind I began to associate those things together. I couldn’t go through that pain again. So I just stopped. It pains me to think of how much time I lost, time I could have spent improving my skills. Time I’ll never get back.
Just start. So far you’ve only lost 4-5 years. Don’t let it reach 20 more.
Thank you for this video. It is tremendously helpful to hear you talk about doing “art” just for you, just because you love it! As a lifelong perfectionist I have struggled with giving myself the time to just “ fool around “. Coming from a working class family where every dollar was earmarked for use, that’s just the way it was! Now that I am retired, I have to REALLY work on letting go of those old habits! Your words HELP.
… thank you … I resonate with your story … I was crippled by innocent laughter and criticism by my family I’ve never recovered
I am drawing faces from my photo graph albums. It is great fun. Thank you for the idea. I struggle with perfection a bit even still. Fortunately I have a lot of support especially from my loving husband. U tube is really helpful. Thank you heaps and other artists
Danny ou are a godsend for all of us who struggle on our art journey. I always feel better, hopeful and more educated after listening to you. Thank you
Thank you Mr. Gregory, I'm 40 and getting started and you’ve been a great help.
Just read “ Shut Your Monkey” & it really spoke( no pun intended) to me. I try & draw several times a week to shut my “ Monkey” & while I don’t always make a decent drawing, I’m learning to enjoy the process rather than try & make a masterpiece. Btw, I recommended your book to a friend who’s a v.good artist but stopped bcuz she felt blocked .She uploaded it to Kindle & said it was relatable to her as well👍
Thanks for sharing!!
A BIG THANK YOU DANNY, AND YES, I LOVE YOUR ESSAYS YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR VIEWERS AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience.
I am 52 years old and have been drawing since I was 7 years old. My parents seen my talent and they always made sure I had plenty of paper to draw on so I could get better at it. I loved drawing and I still do but fast forward to getting married and having kids and working over the years I have been stuck in a artist block. It is hard to wake up my creativity when I do find a little bit of time to draw something 😕. It sucks because the drawing beast in me wants to get back into what I love doing but when I do find time to myself nothing happens.
Ich bin dir so dankbar für alle deine Beiträge. Mein Leben ist dadurch so viel reicher und besser geworden. DANKE!🎨🤗🍀👏🌞HERZLICHE GRÜßE AUS SÜDDEUTSCHLAND
Yes art teachers. So incredibly true No time or mental space to do your own art. Been there and done that.
I appreciate the work that you do. I just want to let you know that you have played a significant role in inspiring me to just pick up a sketchbook and start drawing without fears and that has helped me get through some recent tough times in my life. Thank you, Danny.
I have been watching a series of interviews called 'The Power of Myth' between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers. It is a wonderful series and something Campbell said has really stuck with me and I think it might be worthwhile to share that here, even though it may be something we have already heard many times before:
At one point of the interview, Campbell said that if one can just keep a certain amount of time - maybe an hour - every single day where they just 'follow their bliss' and do whatever the heck it is that they truly love doing - even though it may not make sense doing it for whatever reason - be it painting, dancing, even just putting on some corny ridiculous music that makes their heart smile - it will turn into a sacred space where they can just enter magically and all their worries and ties with the outside world will instantly dissolve just for a little while. Initially nothing might happen, but if only they can just keep at it - and this is what has struck me as the magic words - 'something will start to happen'. And that something is for the individual to find out but whatever it will be, it will be wonderful. :)
Thanks so much for letting me know!
I love your teaching and your art. But have you ever been approached to narrate any audio books? Your voice would be perfect for that!
Not yet!
@@SketchBookSkool 🙏🏼🥰
Thank you! You are such an encouragement ❤
Awesome 🙌 Perfectly timed for me to see this today ✌
OMG. I’m all what you said. 😢 and on the point to give up everyday, but for some reason, I’m still battling against all this negative ideas and fear and struggle to make it work. My artistic journey is moving between desperation and hope. Thank you for sharing your experience and offering us the chance to feel less solitude with this feelings.
So somehow after Tips for a Better Brain this video came up "accidentally" which didn't feel like an accident. Thank you, it really resonated with me.
This is food for my soul , thankyou
Beautifully said. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. It inspired me 😊
I am my own worst critic. I just did a gouache abstract. I don't like it . I'm letting it dry now. I'll walk away from it til something tells me what to do with it.
Always need the help and the inspo. And some of the inspo: I really (really!) take off with it. Fun journey. Hey Ho! 🌞😎😊👏👏
Thank you Danny! ❤
Thank you.🙏
Me too!!! I loved my art class when I was pursuing my AA in business management, but I ended up hating accounting. I wasn’t allowed to switch my major to art . 😢 that was a bummer.
❤
Plis plis please add subtitles in Spanish
I love making my art but once there's the pressure of making sales, my crestive juices dried up. 😢 im beginning to wonder if Im considered an artist if i take on a part time job to pay the bills.😢
You are an artist whether you make money at art or not. In either case, do what you love and pay your bills in the least painful way you can with time left over to create.
Danny
Why do I always feel like you are an alien sucking the thoughts out of my brain??😂😅
Thank you for being so generous with your wisdom. You make an artist’s world a better place. 🫶
👽
@@SketchBookSkool 🤣🫣🤣