Adjust the Pressure

"It Shappens"
©Zian Silverwolf
There's nothing quite like an artform to work as a metaphor for living - the need for practice, refinement and constant observation and focus brings all those qualities into life itself.... or at least, it's always a work in progress.

One of the first things you learn as an artist is how to not be intimidated by a blank start. No matter what you think you're about to create, how stable the vision, how seriously you've planned the line, content, colour and light, always start by making a mark. So that you're not facing a blank slate anymore.
The second thing you learn (and learn and learn) is how to deal with the necessary commentary and feedback that is about YOUR work. Many non-artists don't think about how connected you will be to the finished result, and they want to be honest; so you have to begin with being honest - about what you're saying through your work, the degree to which you have accomplished the translation of that vision, and really, how hard did you really try to get it right?




But the most invaluable lesson is the simplest of them all, because it relates to everything - art, life, love, relationships, music, passion, creativity, work, play..... and that is - Adjust the pressure.
Do you feel like you're struggling to find solutions, the creative edge, or that you're bombarded by negative people? Do you ask yourself what you're doing it all for, whether or not it's worth the fight, or should you just go fishing instead? I often say that 'clarity brings courage' - but it's still a part of the process to know just how much pressure to apply once you've found that courage to continue.