NEWS FROM THE STUDIO

JAN. 2007 Volume 2 Number 2
(28 subscribers)

"Making a Commitment"

Happy New Year,
Hope your holiday season was peaceful despite the storms.  Now as we get back in the swing of things and look forward to longer days, many of us set new “resolutions” for ourselves to keep in the following year.  If you keep reading, I will share my new year’s resolution with you.

Winter Art Classes - New Location

I am excited to be offering art classes at a new location this winter.  The workshop space I will be using belongs to Green Valley Aromatherapy; Unit 1; 420 Fitzgerald, (beside Greenwood Pies and across from Orbitz Pizza).  Now you can treat yourself to a slice of pizza and then walk over for your art class.  What a perfect way to spend a dark winter evening!

The classes I’m offering this winter are: Drawing: The Next Step, Colour Basics and Creative Collage.

Also new is the “Creativity Package” where I am offering a 10% discount if you sign up for all 3 classes before January 22.  Find more info here.

Selected Work: 1998 – 2006; November Exhibition at the Abbey

Thanks to all of you who attended the opening of my exhibition at the Abbey.  It was a blustery fall day which made sipping wine and conversing by the fire indoors, very enjoyable.  I hope to keep the November Abbey exhibition as a yearly affair – so maybe we will also see you next year!

Current Exhibitions:

COMOX VALLEY AIRPORT:

Four of my paintings, including one of my largest paintings, called “Origins”, are hanging at the Comox Valley Airport.  They will be there until the end of January.

13 REMARKABLE WOMEN: Portrait Photographs by Jeff Hartbower

Jeff has a unique ability to capture glimpses of the more hidden or expressive sides of people in his photographs.  Come and aquaint yourself with a few (among the very many) “remarkable women” of the Valley. 

Exhibition is at the Arts & Craft Gallery in the CVAG; 580 Duncan Ave.
The exhibition runs: January 13 to February 10
The opening is Friday, January 19th at 7pm.

Book Review:

Coaching the Artist Within by Eric Maisel
I picked this book up at the Laughing Oyster bookshop last year for some easy inspirational reading.  Maisel seems to have a very clear understanding of all the difficulties involved in being any type of artist and his work as a “creativity coach” has given him much experience in how to assist people in overcoming their blocks.  His website:  www.ericmaisel.com is also full of information for artists. 

Making A Commitment: Drawing 10 Minutes A Day

Right now my time to do art is very limited and sporadic.  As well, when I do have a chunk of time I find I’d rather watch “Ellen” or read, rather than start a new masterpiece.  Many people find they can work in the evening after the kids go to bed…not me so far. The reason I am able to keep my art teaching and painting alive is because I have a very involved mother-in-law and an incredibly supportive husband.  That’s why, after totally cleaning out and babyproofing my studio, I made a new resolution to draw for 10 minutes a day, NO MATTER WHAT.  Since I have committed to this, I find it is a lifeline to my creative self.

I have tried to make the commitment to “draw everyday” several times in the past.  I think the longest I lasted was maybe a week.  Now I believe there are a few important keys to sticking to this resolution:

1. Time limit:  Saying I’m going to draw for a set limit of 10 minutes makes it seem easily doable.  If I really don’t feel like opening my sketchbook, I watch the clock and say “it’s only for 10minutes”.  Often, I end up drawing for more than 10 minutes.

2. Draw the first thing I see:  I have a close friend who has recently committed to “taking a photo a day”.  Initially she had difficulty with this endeavour (even though she was able to quit smoking) because she was intimidated by the thought of having to find some amazing subject matter to photograph everyday.  I think the thing to keep in mind is that the point of drawing (or photographing) everyday, isn’t to come up with an amazing picture (it is a bonus if you do), but to exercise your imagination.  That’s why, if I don’t have a preconceived idea of what to draw, I draw the first thing I see!  Or else I just start scribbling anything on the page.  I don’t allow my inner critic to attend these daily 10 minute sessions.

3. Keeping tools at hand:  Keeping my sketchbook somewhere in the house where I see it is a good reminder to draw.  Also I have a purse now that is big enough for some diapers and a small sketchbook and pen.  If I end up sitting and waiting somewhere in the car, then I can sketch in those minutes (also then there is usually some new subject matter to draw).  If I run out of paper I can always use a diaper.

4. Don’t give up:  Ok, so I haven’t drawn over Christmas, but I totally intend to come back to it at New Years.  I tend to be an “all or nothing” type of person, so it’s important to me that I tell myself, even if I miss a day or two, that I will come back to it.  As long as I don’t miss too many days in a row!

I recently heard an interview on CBC with a filmmaker who was challenging himself to make a film everyday this year.  365 films!  They were only to be a few minutes each, but even so, an incredible challenge!  The interviewer asked him what he could possibly film everyday, and he said he will often just shoot scenes from his own life.  In fact he said he often included scenes from his own daily life in his movies. 

The things this new resolution has taught me, is that that 10 minutes, even though it is such a small chunk of time, can be very productive.  Once I have started drawing for even a few minutes, it seems the creative part of my mind becomes engaged and all kinds of great ideas pop into my mind.  I’ve thought of ideas for classes, Christmas presents and paintings; all in that short amount of time.  After 10 minutes I feel connected to my inner self again (something that dishes and laundry don’t seem to do). 

Also, I find, because I’ve made the commitment, I end up drawing when normally I wouldn’t ever – like when I’m really tired.  What seems to happen then is my conscious mind loses control and I end up drawing something straight from my subconscious.  At the time, what I draw may seem really silly, but the next day I will look back on it and think it is original.  Ha.

One of the things I thought of while I was doing a 10 minute drawing, is that I’d like to challenge others to take the “Drawing Ten Minutes Everyday for a Month” challenge.  If you do (you would have to show me at least 2 weeks worth of 10 minute drawings to prove it), and can write a few things that you learned (or didn’t) from doing this challenge, I will give you a $15 gift certificate towards an art class with me.  Your comments would be posted on my website.  Let me know if you are interested in joining me in this challenge!

Sitting in front of me right now as I write this, on a scrap piece of paper ripped out of an old daytimer is a quote from Dr. Robert Schuller: “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”  Keep an adventurous spirit as you make your own new year’s resolution, or new commitment in your life.

“My son and I”  8 x 10, acrylic on canvas, 2006

Thanks for reading and all the best for 2007.
Sincerely,
Tracy Kobus