The House of Flow ∞ Advice for Artists
Advice for Artists and Creatives looking for help or inspiration…
The Emotional Guidance System – Aligning With Our Soul’s Purpose
The Emotional Guidance System – A Way of Seeing How We're Stuck When you're floating down the river, and you get snagged on a rock, it's usually easier to see how you're snagged, in order to unsnagg yourself – instead of trying to pull away from it blindly, frantically. No? The Emotional Guidance System is a great way to unsnagg ourselves when we get stuck in one of life's emotional...
Accessing Our Intuition – Creativity on Steroids
Accessing Intuition Our creative genius – Where does it lie? Is it mere fiction? Do some of us have it, and some not? How can we access it? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to your intuition and to the state of Flow. Welcome to your unblocked, unbridled creativity. Intuition and the Creative Flow State As I mentioned in the previous post, That Pesky Old Artist's Block:...
That Pesky Old Artist’s Block: Learning to Focus in the Digital Age
Artist’s Block and the Creative Struggle: Learning to Focus in the Digital Age Artist’s block – if you’re an artist of some kind like I am, you most likely already know about it. Maybe you know a lot more than you’d like to admit, and have been struggling for some time without a breakthrough. But you are not alone. There are many, many artists who have been blocked for much of their...
7 ways to Stay Financially Afloat While Pursuing Your Art Dreams.
7 Ways to Stay Financially Afloat While Pursuing Your Art Dreams. I think this goes without saying: the vast majority of people inclined to pursue their creative passions will inevitably encounter financial challenges. Whether you're a writer, painter, musician, or any other type of artist, you must find ways to stay financially afloat while pursuing your art. I've been there, more times...
The Many Ways an Art Coach Can Help You Kick Butt
How Can We Really Benefit from Working with An Artist Coach or Creativity Coach? Are you an artist (by this I mean someone who makes art in any form, be it painting, or music-making, or writing, etc.) struggling to navigate the creative process, set goals, and stay motivated? You're not alone! Many artists face similar challenges. But have you considered working with an art coach? An art coach...
Dissolve Negative Emotions with a Creative Practice
Dissolve Negative Emotions using any Creative Practice Using our own creative practice, we can release or dissolve any emotion. In this post we will delve into the Hows and Whys of how to dissolving negative emotions with a creative practice, and how this can benefit us as artists and as human beings. But first I want to mention that this is a complex subject and one that can be...
This is Why We Artists Meditate – How Meditation Lights Your Creativity On Fire
“Magic lies in the state of mind of the artist. This magic is wakeful magic. The Artist’s mind is able to tune in to a certain balance or wakefulness. We would call it Enlightenment, in fact.” – Chögyam Trungpa What Exactly is Meditation? – Defining Terms For the record, I am not a buddha – just an average human with average intelligence who has been seeking answers to the riddles...
Uncovering the Key Health Benefits of Creativity
Another Good Reason to Follow the Creative Urge - The Health Benefits of Creativity In a recent article in Psychology Today, Cathy Malchiody, PhD, states that there is now sufficient scientific evidence to prove that creativity is a well-being practice. It seems the health benefits of creativity are becoming more known to the public. Studies conducted over the last couple decades...
Creative Inspiration – A Capricious Cat or a Well-Trained Dog?
Creative inspiration is a complex and beguiling subject. As an Artist for many years, I have attempted to conjure up the timeless muse in innumerable ways, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. For many creative people I know, it seems to come and go when it pleases, and often when you least expect it. It’s like a cat that will stand in a doorway for long periods of time without coming...
Sell Your Art – by NOT Becoming an Online Marketing Guru
To Become, or Not to Become, a Social Media Guru to Sell Your Art I am tired of seeing people spouting on about how you can sell your art by doing this marketing plan or doing that social media strategy, or making videos of yourself creating your art and posting them online, etc. etc. – in other words, by getting really really good with your online art presence. Generally speaking, this...
The Artist as Pioneer of Culture – the Power of Following Your Creative Dreams
The Artist as Pioneer of Culture Perhaps more than any other profession at this time, the Artist (writer, dancer, painter, sculptor, etc.) helps a culture evolve by defining the cultural paradigm. That is to say, the Artist’s role, among other things, is to direct how a society views itself and its own possibilities for change and evolution. Historically, the job of pioneer of...
Creativity Coaches – Are they Better than Art School?
What is a Creativity Coach or Art Coach? What do Creativity Coaches do? And why do we need them? “Support is often in terribly short supply in a creative person’s life. There is no one to talk to about the work. There is no one to talk to about the struggle. There is no one to talk to about the enormous gap between the dream the person had and the reality the person is living. Indeed, many...
When Life Gives You Lemons – Understanding and Directing Emotions with a Creative Practice
Understanding and Directing Emotions using a Creative Practice We are emotional beings – we have hundreds, even thousands of emotions every day, often without knowing it. Many of us are unaware that emotions are driving our decisions most of the time, and often not for the better. We often sabotage ourselves because we want to do something but are being held back by negative emotions and thought...
Making a Living as an Artist
Making a Living as an Artist “As artists, we are often regarded as people who have problems paying the rent, and our belief in this myth only adds to its truth. It may actually be the case for many artists, but this does not have to be you. Money, as it turns out, is merely a form of energy that comes to us because we have created some kind of value for others. So the questions around money and...
Help with Depression – The Creative Solution
Help with Depression With our current global virus situation and the rise of unrest in many parts of the world, it seems a good time to address our psychological maladies. History has it that human beings started as a hunter-gatherer species, often having confined ourselves within four walls. But since Winter/Spring of 2020 most of us have spent a lot of time in quarantine, and this has started...
Anger Journaling – A 6 Step Method to Venting Your Frustrations
Anger Journaling, a.k.a. Rage Writing The Benefits of Expressing Emotions like Anger and Frustration As artists, and as human beings, we're sometimes bombarded with obstacles. And with obstacles, invariably come negative emotions. Emotions such as anger or frustration are indicators that something happening in our life is out of alignment with our beliefs – our beliefs about how our...
Artists and Mental Health: Coping Strategies for Creative Minds.
It's no secret that mental health issues are prevalent among artists and creative minds. The very act of creating is a vulnerable one, requiring us to put ourselves out there and risk rejection and criticism. And while this vulnerability is what makes art so powerful, it can also take a toll on our mental wellbeing. As someone who has been a writer for most of my life, I know firsthand...
Navigating the Art World: Insights from Successful Artists
Insights from Successful Artists It's a mad world out there, especially if you're an artist trying to navigate the tumultuous waters of today's art scene. Gone are the days when simply creating beautiful, technically proficient work was enough to make a name for yourself. Now, you have to be a marketer, a brand ambassador, a social media guru, and a networking genius all rolled into one...
How to Stay Motivated as an Artist: 10 Tips and Tricks
Ways to Stay Motivated as an Artist Motivation is the fuel that drives the creative engine. As artists, we all know that feeling of being inspired by an idea, a vision, or a dream. We pour ourselves into our work, fueled by passion and a sense of purpose. But what happens when that spark begins to fade? When we find ourselves feeling stuck, uninspired, and unmotivated? It's easy to fall...
Self-Knowledge is the Straightest Road to Creative Success
On Self-Knowledge and Creative Success As human beings, we all have unique talents and abilities that can contribute to the world in meaningful ways. However, it's not always easy to tap into our full potential and realize our creative aspirations. In order to achieve true creative success, we must first cultivate self-knowledge - the understanding of our own minds, emotions, and...
Terrified of Being Seen? 7 Ways to Overcome Fears of Showing Your Art
For many artists, the fear of showing their work can be a significant psychological barrier. It can be intimidating to put yourself and your creations out into the world for others to see. However, as an artist, it is essential to push past these fears and share your work with the world. Here are some of the best ways to overcome the fear of showing your art. 1. Identify and confront your...
How Making Music Melts Away Anxiety and Depression
Music has been an integral part of human civilization for centuries. It has the power to evoke emotions and transform moods. While we all have different music preferences, research has shown that making music can have a positive impact on our mental, physical, and psychological health. In this article, we will explore how making music can melt away anxiety and depression. What is Anxiety...
The New Tech Artists – The Merging of New Technology and Art
As technology advances at an exponential pace, it's not surprising that many artists are exploring new ways to incorporate it into their creative process. From virtual reality to AI-generated art, artists are embracing new technologies to push the boundaries of their craft and create new forms of art that were once unimaginable. In this article, we'll explore some of the ways that artists are...
Creating Art – 7 Ways to Boost Your Creativity While Staying Grounded and Happy
7 In-depth tips for staying happy and grounded while creating art Creating art is an inherently fulfilling and rewarding activity, but it can also be challenging and mentally draining. As an artist, it's important to find ways to increase your creative output without sacrificing your mental health and well-being. In this article, we'll explore seven strategies to help you stay...
Welcome to Visual Artist Coaching – Empower Your Art!
What is Visual Artist Coaching, Exactly? Artists are free-spirited, creative individuals who do not need to conform to any specific rules or guidelines. This is part of being an artist – going outside of established norms and blazing your own path. However, even the most talented artists can struggle to find their footing and achieve success without some guidance and support....
10 Essential Steps to Becoming a Successful Artist
10 Steps to Becoming a Successful Artist: I won't lie to you – becoming a successful artist requires hard work. It takes perseverance, and a willingness to learn and grow. It is a lot of work, but if you're passionate about your art, and you can think of it as a fun, project, it will be much easier and more fulfilling. The following 10 steps are the nuts and bolts of what it takes to go pro with...
Thoughts on Death and Grieving
Thoughts on Death and Grieving...Upon hearing of the passing of the daughter of some acquaintances, I was moved to write about death and grieving. What came out of it was something like a poem. In the hopes that this will benefit those going through the grieving process or those helping others through it, I post it here.The Horned Beetle (A poem of death and grieving, by Douglas P Smith) When I...
Unraveling Creative Resistance – How We Can Learn to Disassemble Our Creative Blocks
Our whole civilization is based on the idea that rational knowledge is king. But rational, empirical knowing is only a small part of our human potential. Concepts, by their very nature, are limiting. And so, when we fill our heads with ideas about how things are, we invariably end up boxing ourselves into a corner. So What is Creative Resistance, in Real Terms? Creative resistance...
Kill Your Anxiety (with a Creative Practice)
Kill Your Anxiety ...Anxiety’s Many Causes and Manifestations According to the medical model, there are a multitude of known causes of anxiety, as well as numerous different manifestations of it. If you are reading this, you might have experienced problems with a phobia, or a panic disorder, or some kind of separation anxiety disorder. Maybe you've experienced an...
Creativity and The Artist Dilemma, Part 1 – Why is Making Art So Hard?
Having been in the creativity coaching business over the years, I’ve noticed a lot of creative people tend to put their stock in a rational approach to success. They take all these marketing and art business classes and ultimately end up stressed out and unhappy because they have no time or energy left to do their creative work. A lot of people go to art school and learn techniques from...
Creativity and The Artist Dilemma, Part 2 – Cultural Conditioning
Following this topic of the Artist Dilemma from part 1 – in talking about beliefs that are limiting: another culture-born belief that seems to run rampant among creatives is the idea that we must try to obtain as much information as possible and then rationally figure out how to traverse our mountain of creativity obstacles – which usually appear to come from a lack of support from the culture,...
Thanks for coming to the Advice for Artists blog page. Check out these pages for additional Creative Flow ideas, workshops, and training exercises:
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