Total Art Soul - for artists

I would like to share a link an artist find sent me that speaks to this directly.

the burden of genius

at least it did for me when I had a long layoff and couldn't get restarted. I often have many ideas flying around my brain. Now if you look at my art you may not think so! LOL but it is true.
I did enjoy this short video. I have not read her book or anything I just LOVED what she had to say.
I will also say that I write ideas down, let them marinate sometimes and then find when I tackle the subject I enjoy it more. Other times the work paints itself and I hold the brush. That is my inspired work that flows very easily.
When you sell a piece your are elated when one you love doesn't sell you are wondering why. It is very uneven at times. If I let go and just work I am better off.

Cool Blue wip on the easel

I think Artist are easily depressed for many reasons, of most I probably do not know.

I think our egos and emotions are very much tied to what we create, so we can be easily uncertain. I can say that trying to sell on line has done a number on me in the sense that the marketing starts to get too far away from why I create things.

The critiques are many when you try to belong to some guilds for the sake of motivation and promotion and the welcome and participation take a back seat. It reminds me of high school really.

That is one of the reasons I like it so much in this forum.

Sharing and just being interested in looking at other's work really offsets all the other bologna out there related to selling.

I am back in the studio for the most part and boy am I happy now!

No Boo Boo faces allowed!

Hmmm..funny I should read this thread now.. Last night I was complaining to my bf about feeling either uninspired, or overwhelmed with ideas I can't choose between these days.
I do have a 'day job' and lately it has been sucking the life out of me, literally. I usually am too tired to find time to create, and when I do-kaboom. My mind is empty,blank. It's very depressing. Really, it's the one thing that can make me don't want to get out of bed in the morning. It's that bad.

I know Inspiration doesn't just come to you every time you call it. It has a mind of its own.

So yeah, in this sense, being Artistic can be really depressing. You betcha.

On finding resources- it's hard. But when you can't find your desired resources locally, do it online.There's plenty of cool, inspiring stuff out there.

On having more than one project to work on-YES,definitely yes.Working on more than one project at the same time can be a sort of exercise for your creative mind.And, as sandpiperrose said, it can be relaxing.

What about balancing between your creative time, and your chores? How do you guys manage?

P.S. heading back to the studio-for the first time in weeks.

Depression is part of the metier.
Materials are everywhere.
Paint with whatever you have or can find.
Oh yes,the market will be better this year,as last year could have not been worse.

I think it is true to a large extent that a lot of artists experience depression. I think it is partly to do with the type of creatures we are. Out of suffering often comes total genius, you only have to look at many of the great painters in history.

Hmm...it seems like the market for art has always been very narrow..at least here in Bulgaria it is:/