The Artist's Way Week 3: Honest Thoughts and Reflections from a Full-Time Artist in New York City
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- čas přidán 7. 05. 2024
- Week three of The Artist's Way, encouraging us to reclaim an identity of power, was the most powerful chapter yet!
It was impossible for me to compartmentalize my art and activism while working through this chapter- especially when Julia Cameron's work so strongly echoed James Baldwin and Dr. King.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on it and how this chapter, or even perhaps this video, encouraged you to consider your role as an artist and the impact that it might have.
www.alexisviele.com
Instagram: @Paperforthepeople
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As noted in my comment on Week 1, I am doing "the program" except from Julia's book "Its never to late ...." which is "The Artist's Way" for seniors :). I am not sure if the chapters align in their overall message. I am on Week 1, Day 1 ... read the chapter, completed my first morning pages (I was somewhat dreading this but I filled 3 pages easily and almost did not want to stop), made a bit of a chart for myself for the week's tasks and have a plan for my Artist Date. All of this with the enthusiasm of a first day person!
Regarding your week 3 and maybe a bit from week 2 ... I am not an activist ... well, maybe in a way but more in thinking about how to kindly motivate people to think, to reflect, to study history and learn from it to enable a better way forward. I have not been a history person up until the last 10 or so years. I despaired during the pandemic and feel sure that so many upset with the restrictions had never read WWI/WWII history with its rationing, restrictions, Spanish Flu. It is scary to how the current rhetoric mirrors those times. Your words have inspired me to think more about how I might engage more but I will say that whether it is a certain laziness, a desire to enjoy my senior years without the angst or ??? ... I sit in my peaceful home in the woods with mountain views, enjoying life with my pets, my art, my simple home cooked food and gentle books.
I think that from what I have heard from you and the other presenter who gave a "wrap" talk about her experiences with "The Artist Way", the overall theme is "Awareness". Over the years, there have been many times when I was able to take action and make changes in my life once I put a name to the issue/emotion/feeling/situation vs some "hamster on a wheel" turning of thoughts in my head.
I'm unsure at the moment whether to catch up on your videos ... week 6 is your latest, or get a bit more done on my own. Lots for me to think on. Right now, I am thinking to review your 1,2,3 before moving on.
Oh ... you mentioned hoping to have more community on the channel and discussion. I read some comments on another channel from people who did "The Artists Way" as a group, i.e. met for discussion, etc. I am not good/do not enjoy/balk at "going to" a group thing, but as a person who was doing Zoom meetings before Zoom was cool ... I wondered about a Zoom group. And if so, weekly or bi-weekly or monthly or ? I have mixed feelings for myself.
Edited to add: Focaccia bread ... waiting to hear :) , but imagine that your schedule and by now probably heat are maybe putting that off. I am a long time (approaching 50 years!) bread baker and the last 9 years sourdough/natural leaven baking of bread, rolls, crackers, flatbreads, pizza ... you name it. But, I am single, work from home, now semi-retired so while my days are full, they are and have never been jam-packed busy.
I hear you with the morning pages. I was *super* resistant to them at first, but now, I really love them.
I truly appreciate your thoughts on activism and how you move through the world. I think what I find to be so beautiful and encouraging about "activism" is that it takes infinite forms and truly is just that- a motivation to encourage thought about how we might reflect and learn from our past so that the future is better for it. And, within that work, there are many, many roles, including artist and storyteller. :)
What I have enjoyed most about this practice is the awareness that it brings It's really wonderful work!
Maybe it makes sense to watch these videos after you complete your week's practice so as to not shift how you might engage with the work without my thoughts in your ear. I would be very curious about your progress as you move through it!
I am so introverted that doing a live zoom might be a thing for the *future*!
Good luck with your practice!
I gotta get going on that Focaccia! I've always wanted to bake bread. :)
@@AlexisViele Good advice that I will take re watching videos after I complete my weeks. It will be interesting to see how I perceive things vs you and as noted I do not know how closely the two versions align.
Understood re Zoom thing ... I have tried a few for various things and it always sounds like a good idea but as a fellow introvert and now also as a typically older person relative to most Zoom participants ... it has not been a great experience for me.
Bread ... well, working with dough in its various forms is relaxing and enjoyable for me as well as having something wonderful at the end of the process. I have used both working with dough and walking as ways to relax as well as to "lose my mind" so to speak and often find solutions to work or life issues while I am doing one or the other.
Cheers ... see you as I progress!
@@theroadhome_Liz_Summers Looking forward to it!
How have you been approaching the reading? Do you read the chapter all at once or over the week?
I've been reading the chapter in its entirety on the first day of my "week" and then will typically read through the tasks the following day and work through them as I can find time. The reading isn't too extensive. It's the tasks and artist dates that I find I really have to squeeze in!