The artist often experiences a sense of timelessness, lost time or 'flow' while working because they are completely absorbed by their activity, by the use and manipulation of materials or by the subject of their work.
Achieving this state requires a 'letting go'. Let go of your ideas that your painting will not work out. Let go of any thoughts that your work is not as good as someone else's. Let go of any ambitions about the future of your work; that should be good enough to frame; that it must be good enough to post on the internet. Let go of any fears of the imagined criticism of your peers or family. None of these things matter when you are painting - but they are preventing you from being a successful artist.
What do I mean by success? When it comes to art, the only success you can honestly measure is from within yourself. Did you enjoy the journey you traveled while painting? Are you able to criticize your work in front of your peers and honestly say what are its good points and what you could have done to make it better in your own eyes. No-one elses' opinion really matters even though we are warmed by encouraging comments and let down by silences.
I would like to help you come closer to taking complete ownership of your work and being satisfied with it for what it is. First, you must become aware of your own being and, by this, I do not mean your ego because your ego is self serving, suggestible and vain. I am talking about becoming aware of your true being because this is the start of 'letting go'.
Here is a little exercise you can practice each time you sit down to paint, draw or go out with your camera............
Try to sense the energy in your hands.
You cannot do this by thinking about your hands. You will feel nothing in particular. You should clear your head and simply listen to the vibrations, blood flow and sensations present in your hands. This will not be easy to do at first. If you succeed, you may feel a slight tingling of the movement of blood. Next, you might feel an energy in the tendons as if the fingers are resisting the urge to flex.
Next, you can try it with your feet for a moment or two and then try to feel both hands and feet at the same time.
Now, turn to your work, pick up your pencil, brush or camera and try to sense the life force within the elements of these inanimate objects and decide that your inner self and this instrument are now a team that are going to work together to make some marks, shape some forms or collect some light.
I guarantee your work will go differently.
