Artists,
gardeners, environmentalists, philanthropists, and
entrepreneurs all share one thing in common: Their motivating force
comes from inside themselves. That is the first step toward making
meaning.
Making meaning investments in the things we
value comes next. But the world isn’t constructed to help us do that.
Life gets busy – child care, elder care, careers, home and car
maintenance, and daily chores consume our lives. If you don’t make
space for investing in meaning you’re bound to be disappointed in the
most important parts of your life.
Making Meaning Through Fine,
Performing, and Applied Art
As
a former executive director of an arts council, I met many fine and
performing artists, as well as authors. And through my public relations
firm, I worked closely with commercial artists, photographers,
production specialists, and printers. All were highly talented artists
in their own right and were sticklers for precision and quality.
It
was easy to tell the artists who had made a meaning investment in their
work from those who hadn’t. Those artists had invested some whole part
of themselves into their profession. There was a pride and confidence
that they were delivering top-notch performances, and a certainty that
there was nothing else they’d rather be doing
What
separates these artists from others is how they approach the artistic
process, how they express their personalities and creativity through
their art, how body/mind/spirit plays itself out in their creativity,
and the pleasure they take in the journey.
Cultivating the Inner Artist coaching is all about making that process conscious.
I
work with people who are struggling with purpose, meaning, and life
choice issues related to art: Fine artists, performers, and authors who
want to make better choices that result in a life’s work that speaks to
their souls.
- Have you seen or read other artists’ work that has a magical quality, but can’t seem to create it in your own?
- Do you feel like you’re going through the motions of painting, sculpting, dance, music-making, or writing without getting much enjoyment?
- Are you unsure about where or how to invest your time, energy, or money?
- Do you feel that you’re doing all of the right things, but still don’t produce work that is you?
- Do you have trouble believing that your artistic and creative efforts matter?
- Are you concerned that you need to make some important changes but don’t know where to start?
- Do you second-guess your choices and keep switching from one thing to another?
- Are you frequently bored or anxious with your creative work?
If you are experiencing any of these difficulties, here’s how I can help.
Cultivating
the Inner Artist coaching is not about the work itself, but about
putting artists in a mental space that allows them to develop an
intimate, holistic relationship with their creative self.
Through
a series of assignments and exercises you’ll learn how to rediscover
and focus on the things that really matter to you about your art,
restore meaning to your creative efforts, or resume a much-loved hobby.
Here are some links to get you started:
