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It’s either FIXED or it’s F@&KED

 Why you can’t create ART or your LIFE on a blank piece of paper.

Many people tell me how lucky I am to be able to draw and be creative. Most of them believe that they are not at all creative and that being so really takes something that they just don’t possess. I feel the same about sport and being athletic, I’m not! However I can lug a 20kg bag of cement on my shoulders without breaking a sweat and I can steer a barrow load of wet concrete up a flight of stairs via a narrow plank and then over a bridge without spilling a drop (not an easy task) and if these things don’t take some mighty physical skills I don’t know what does.  The point is that sometimes we think we aren’t one thing such as being a good painter or drawer and we miss the thing that we ARE good at such as sculpting, singing, sewing, cooking, parenting or creative play with children and all manner of things that are actually quite creative but that we give no credit to.

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Participants of DUST LIVE

What age were you when you decided that you either were or weren’t good at drawing?

Is there an event or specific time in your life where you can remember this happening?

The DUST LIVE workshop which was held in the DUST exhibition space was a huge success because were able to put aside the limiting beliefs that we have held for such a long time, beliefs about just how good we are at being creative. We focussed on having fun with the materials at hand. One outstanding feature of this workshop was the fact that we began with an imperfect canvas, NEWSPAPER. Why? Because, when a page is already contaminated, by a smear of dirt, a splash of paint, finger prints or even writing and photo’s, there is nothing to destroy, it’s already been useful it’s now rubbish, it was heading to the bin anyway. So you can’t wreck it, it’s either FIXED or it’s F@&ed. o you might as well have some fun!

            Blank Pages can be really intimidating!

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Life is Messy!

 

The parallel between LIFE and ART is that Life is also very messy. There is always stuff to deal with, history and current obstacles are constantly in our way. So when it comes to creating a LIFE WE LOVE we are faced with all the things that tell us this is IMPOSSIBLE! However when we have creativity as a tool and we know ourselves as creative individuals we are better placed to work with the materials we have.

Our life pages always have lists, of things we must BE, DO and HAVE and sub headings that define us such as Mother, Daughter, Son, Carer, Partner etc. We are never free of an existing story about who and what we are. Our pages are marked already

Understanding this makes several things available to us.

  • We can accept the story as is, and keep heading in the direction we are currently heading. As they say if nothing changes, things tend to stay the same, which is fantastic if your life is all lit up and you bound out of bed in the morning ready to embrace the day, everyday. Your world must be rocking. Don’t change a thing!!!
  • We can choose another path entirely. Easier said than done!?! Yeah right… I’ve got 3 kids and a mortgage. LOL
  • We can work with what we have, using our creative selves and create a life that inspires us, enriches us and challenges us to grow and to nourish ourselves like we truly deserve.
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Here is a photo taken whilst setting up for the Grand Opening

My own negative self talk and beliefs about my abilities as an artist and creative person, had me delay actually having a solo exhibition for over 10 years. I just couldn’t believe that anyone would be interested in what I had to show and say. I hung out in group shows and was somewhat reluctantly happy (is that a thing?) to hide behind more successful people. It finally took the death of someone very close to me (it often does take something epic or catastrophic to shift us doesn’t it?) to get me asking myself what it actually was that I was waiting for. I was waiting to be perfect and to actually know what I was doing, to be accomplished and acknowledged already, for the planets to align, to have my ducks in a row and the wind in my favour etc. etc.

In short, it was never going to happen. Now, you here people say crazy things like  “Just trust…,  Jump and the net will appear.” Well, that’s all well and good, but I was standing on the edge of a cliff with choices in every direction. What if I jumped in the WRONG bloody direction? It’s scary, right? Yes, but I got myself some assistance. I got a coach! And she helped me to be brave and nut out what was most important to me, she guided me through the muck to unearth a sheet of paper that I could create a new picture of my life on. I am happy to say it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I am now bursting with enthusiasm to share it with anyone who is up for something more in their lives.

Because, when a page is already contaminated, by a smear of dirt, a splash of paint, finger prints or even your story about who you are and what you do, there is nothing to destroy, it’s already been useful, it’s now rubbish, it was heading to the bin anyway. So you can’t wreck it, it’s either FIXED or it’s F@&ed. So you might as well have some fun!

If you would like to find out what’s possible for you book yourself in for a complimentary half hour consultation. Get in touch here