New video: Hannah painting process and being real.

 

Hi. I've been making videos and sending them out through my newsletter. I feel like my business as an artist is still in the toddler phases. So far, I feel able to commit to one newsletter a month and have been able to do this consistently since January. It feels good to have a regular schedule. It motivates me to just put something out there, even if I don't think it's perfect. I often have a tendency to think that I need to have something really epic to send out, but I actually think I do better when I just commit to sending something out with consistency. I sent this video out to my newsletter audience this month with an explanation of the process behind it. Hannah Kaminer has been a friend of mine for several years. I was in a song writing group with her about a decade ago. I never wrote any songs. I'm not a musician, but it was a way for me to be around a creative community during a time when I was feeling creatively blocked. It's amazing how helpful that is to just be around other creative people even if they are not working in your same medium. It was for me anyways. 

Hannah remembered a drawing I made of her during that time and she asked me to make a painting of her for her new album that is coming out soon. It is called, "Wish We Could Talk" and is on the theme of estrangement. I sent an email out last summer about "my story" of growing up with an abusive father and how I am estranged from my family and how making art has helped me heal. Hannah reached out to me after I sent out that newsletter because she resonated with some of it. 

As you will find out if you watch the video, the final result of the painting did not end up matching what Hannah had in mind for the album cover, so she is not ultimately going to use it, which is fine, of course. I had to work through some of my own internal stuff though as a result of some of the inner critic stuff that came up for me during the process. What transpired was a reminder that the reason I make art is because it brings me joy and healing. It is never ultimately about the end result, and I think this is important to always keep in mind. I love my paintings, but I think that the process of always returning to my own joy and playfulness when I create is what keeps me going. I went back to the sketchbook and had some good old fashioned healing play time to help me re-center. 

I hope you find whatever inklings of joy are tickling you to pay attention to them. This is your inner guidance speaking to you. 

May I take my own advice!

Love,

Suzanne.