The Magpie's Treasure

Friday's Affirmation for Artists - Remember to Take A Bow!

It's Friday and I have another affirmation for you.

Today it's all about taking a bow when we complete a work of art. When performing artists finish their acts, we expect them to take a bow--without hesitation and with a big smile on their face. But for me--standing in front of an audience and wearing my pride on my sleeve is not something I'm comfortable doing. Remember--I'm a woman who decided to spend most of her time working alone in a basement studio.

But while I was composing these affirmations, I came across a quote that changed my perspective on taking a bow and showing off my work (I wish I could remember who said it)... The gist of it was that when we create something that comes from our heart, we serve others by sharing it. By doing so we can make people laugh, make them remember, make them empathize... Christine Kane used Jerry Seinfeld to illustrate this concept--he makes most of us laugh 'til we cry and we need that laughter and are grateful for it.

So today let's give three loud cheers for the Internet!! It is possible for all of us to share our creations from the security of our own studios and without the aid of a gallery or store. We can serve others--with one click of camera and a few more clicks on a mouse. Hurrah! Let's take our bows!

That's it for now. I hope you have a great weekend!

When the Going Gets Tough--The Tough Reach for Their Affirmations

Here's an affirmation that most of us can use. There are those things that we do over & over again even though we know they don't get us closer to our goals. Sometimes it helps to have a reminder that once we let go we'll be on our way and so much happier.

More Affirmations for Artists for 2010

Here's one more of my affirmations.

Be. Do. Have. 

I borrowed this one from artist coach Christine Kane. Even though the success of a business is measured in monetary terms, the rewards that really keep me fired up are rewards for the heart--like the great feeling I get when I make personal connections with others through art, or the personal satisfaction I feel when I master a new technique, or even the swell of pride I experience when I finish making a piece that I think is really beautiful. 

So when I repeat this particular affirmation to myself those are the kinds of "emotional" rewards I'm hoping to see accumulating around me. 

Here's another:

 This is an affirmation that I conjured up because I've always been impatient. I want instant expertise and don't like spending time mastering things. In fact, as a child I dropped out of flute lessons, piano lessons, karate lessons, and more--all because I didn't want to spend time practicing the basics. Somehow I expected my piano & flute teachers to help me play songs by telling me where to hold my fingers. I didn't understand that I needed to train my eyes to read sheet music or train my fingers to instinctively know where the keys were. 

It took a long time for me to understand that, but then I took a typing class and trained my mind and hands to type words without the aid of my eyes. And later on in life, I took pottery classes and spent weeks playing with mud before my hand-muscles developed a "memory" and could make stable pots without my thinking about the individual steps my teacher had demonstrated. 

Even with these experiences behind me, I'm still impatient with myself. There are times when I see the work of other amazing artists and think "Wow, I never would have come up with that" or "Hmmm, I'm never going to be THAT good." But I do know better. I know that those artists spent lots of time mastering their trade. They weren't born with those skills. And I know that I'm on my way, too. This affirmation card is a reminder that it takes time to grow and master skills -- the rewards are slowly coming my way.

It's a New Year With New Affirmations To Fire Us Up

I hope your new year is getting off to a great start & that you are ready to spread your wings and go for it! 

I leaped into 2010 with a broom & dust pan in hand--had to give my studio a good straightening up. Then I joined an art biz class--the Blast Off Class taught by Alyson Stanfield. You might remember that I participated in the class last year, too, but it left me feeling so energized that I jumped at the chance to do it again this year.

One of the class assignments that I love is designed to help you focus on what motivates you as an artist and small business owner. We had to create index cards with affirmations on them and were encouraged to add artwork to our cards. That's where it got fun! 

Out came my markers, gelly roll pens, and water-color crayons. For the words on each card--I dug down deep and tried to pinpoint statements that I believe are true, that excite & motivate me, and that make me feel satisfied with where I am and where I'm heading.

I've posted these two affirmations for you today, but keep an eye on this blog -- because over the next few days I'll be posting more for you to see. Hopefully, you'll find one or two that work for you, too. And if you do--be sure to let me know in a comment. I'd love to hear what you think--and if you have any affirmations of your own to pass along. Enjoy!