My Many Muses: My Inner Child

I love this kid!

The other day my Mother was going through old photos and she sent me this one (above) of me as a little girl in the bathtub with my pajamas on.

I actually have a clear memory of this moment.  My Mom had just gotten me out of the tub and dressed when something urgent made her leave the room briefly.  I remember looking over at the tub, seeing my toy boat still floating in the water and thinking, "I was having fun in that tub, I should get back in".

And so I did.  With all my clothes on.

Of course Mom was back in a flash and found me there happily playing with my boat.  She told me years later that it had been a difficult day and she was a bit exasperated at first but she didn't let it show and obviously I was so cute and having so much fun that she quickly got over it and thought to capture the moment.

I'm so happy to have this photo now because whenever I think of my inner child, this has been the picture I see in my mind.  I see the image of the little girl whose first instinct was to do what was fun.  I see the girl who found her toy boat and her own imagination so enjoyable that she just had to get back in that tub, pajamas and all.

I see her whenever I am tempted to do something I think I "should" do when what I really want to do is play and create in my studio.  I see her when I start to take life too seriously or worry too much about what other people think or forget that my imagination is my super power.

I see her and I think, Victoria, get back in the tub.

Pajamas be damned.

Happy creating to you and your inner child!

Peace, Love and Art,

Victoria

IBelieveInArtShop.com

I Believe In Artists: Jessica Davies

Artist Jessica Davies

One of the many things I love about my I Believe In Art Facebook page is that it connects me with all kinds of talented and inspiring artists.  When I posted there that I was looking for artists to interview for this blog, Jessica Davies was among the first to respond.  I am so glad that she did and I think you will be too.  Enjoy!

"Day Dreamer", Self Portrait By Jessica Davies

Question: I know art speaks its own language but if you had to describe your work in only six words, what would they be?

Jessica: Realism, colorful, random, surreal, detailed, dark.

Question: Who is your favorite artist (in any medium) and how do they inspire you?

Jessica: I dont have a specific favorite artist, however, I enjoy works that are technically complex with hyper-realism that are often surreal.  An artist whose work springs to mind is Jaroslaw Kukowski.

"Self Portrait with Lily" By Jessica Davies

Question: What inspires you to create?

Jessica: Everything inspires me to create though as a child it was a love of animals and wildlife that got me hooked on making art. 

"Prayer" By Jessica Davies

Question: What is your favorite part of your creative process?

Jessica:  My favorite part of the creative process is when a painting is starting to come together and you begin to see the finished image start to take shape. 

Commissioned Painting By Jessica Davies

Question: What is the most challenging part of your creative process and how do you meet that challenge?

Jessica: The challenging part of the creative process for me is procrastination and consistency. To tackle this, I often go out to see some art in museums, draw outside , or even switch mediums to clay for example as this really helps to break up routine and get the creative juices flowing.

Commissioned Painting By Jessica Davies

Question: And finally, what does "believing in art" mean to you?

Jessica: To me Believing in art means a vast amount of things. From enjoying and recreating beauty to diving deep into dark places to drag back and share some profound feeling or intense experience. Believing in art to an artist, is believing in themselves, believing in their skill, in learning , in beauty and passion, in good , in nature, in humanity, in hope and transformation. 

Thank you Jessica for sharing your amazing art and your thoughts with us!

For more information about Jessica and her art, visit her web site at http://jdaviesartjd.wix.com/jdaviesart

FYI, I'm still looking for artists to feature in this series.  Click here for information on how to apply.

Until next time, happy creating!

Peace, Love and Art,

Victoria

IBelieveInArtShop.com

5 Art Quotes I'm Not Tired Of Yet (And Why)

Are you tired of all the art quotations on the internet yet?  Sometimes I think I am.  Some of them I see so much they have lost all meaning to me.  And yet there are others that always seem to spark something in me no matter how often I encounter them, kind of like a favorite song or poem.

So here are five quotes on art or creativity that still have the power to move me (and why):

An artist feels vulnerable to begin with; and yet the only
answer is to recklessly discard more armour. - Eric Maisel

I am not tired of the above quote by creativity coach Eric Maisel,  but sometimes I do become weary of the truth it expresses.  The fact that being an artist requires me to be vulnerable is definitely something I struggle with.  However, when I read this quote I realize that resisting it is futile and off the "armour" goes which, though scary, is also liberating.

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.
- Erich Fromm

I love this Erich Fromm quote because I actually find it a huge relief to realize I don't have to have everything figured out all the time. In fact, not knowing what the hell I'm doing can sometimes be an asset to my creativity if I just have the courage to experiment and let go of the outcome.

The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt. - Sylvia Plath

Identifying the enemy is important.  Sometimes I don't even know that it's doubt that is standing in my way until something like this Sylvia Plath quote reminds me.  Then I know what I must do: believe in art and believe in myself.

The object isn't to make art, it's to be in that wonderful
state which makes art inevitable. - Robert Henri

I want to be one of those people who wakes up and goes straight to the studio every day no matter what but I'm just not.  However, when I am inspired you can't keep me out of there.  This quote by artist Robert Henri reminds me that there are things I can do to get inspired - that getting myself to "that wonderful state which makes art inevitable" is my responsibility.

The creative process is a process of surrender, not control. - Julia Cameron

Why am I not tired of this quote?  Let me answer that question with another one: Why do I keep forgetting this?  Really, I can't be reminded enough of this simple but transformative bit of wisdom.  Thank you Julia Cameron!

Do you have a favorite quote on art or creativity?  Please feel to share in the comments below.

Thanks for reading and happy creating!

Peace, Love and Art,
Victoria

IBelieveInArtShop.com