Walter Logeman Art Project 2006-7
#466 Pat Hanly
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I went to the “Art of the Nation” at Te Papa and I had a good time. Loved the Hoteres, the Woollastons, one or two of the McCahons and Rembrandt’s etchings. God knows why these, they were ones that gripped me. The item on the cover of the booklet is a painting by Pat Hanly.
I was already in the middle of this sketch, as Hanly was in the Hotere video, they were mates it seems. He is one of the big names in New Zealand.
Links, images follow.
My friend Sandra showed me John’s book today. I love the work, the concept & the people’s stories. John Badcock is a New Zealand artist who does not live all that far from Christchurch where I live. A few hours drive away to Geraldine.
Links, book image and a photo of his work follows.
#465 Expect Nothing
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11″ x 8.5″ image on 13″ x 19″ archival mat paper.
A vigorous time with digital lead pencil.
Later
In the comments below Jan asked how it might look in negative. Here it is – with a little sepia thrown in. Better if you ask me. Thanks Jan.
I have been working on the details!
The information about buying prints is more readable! There is a lot of info, but I hope it is more accessible. If it is not clear let me know what you think I should say!
Pricing and Payment Information
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If you have read my recent posts you will know quite a bit about Eric Maisel, creativity coach and author, he is here now on Thousand Sketches on a tour to promote Ten Zen Seconds, one of his current books, yes he has three that came out this year.
The focus is on the tension between shadow & light, so if that is of interest, read on, and please join the conversation in the comments.
Walter: Hi Eric, thanks for visiting my blog on your world tour. How are your travels so far?
Eric:
Excellent! It has been interesting to see how each host has personalized the process. And the tour has helped to sell out the first edition of the book in its first month, which is unusual … and great!
Walter:
That is inspiring! A blog tour is a creative project, how did the idea originate?
Eric:
I put out a monthly newsletter and I asked my readers if they knew of any out-of-the-box ways to publicize books. One reader, a small press publisher, told me about the successful virtual book tour that one of her authors had recently completed, the idea intrigued me, I asked for details, and decided that I wanted to do the same.
Walter:
So the creative step is to connect with your readers. I hope you enjoy your virtual stop here with the Thousand Sketches project and being here (again) in Christchurch, New Zealand. As a psychotherapist also have a psychological blog but I think this is the right place for you to visit as you have such a focus on creativity, and the artist.
Eric:
Yes, much of the writing on creativity isn’t very psychologically astute. It tends to be more like cheerleading or spirituality-by-a-different-name. I’ve been interested in looking at the real processes that affect creators, like depression, anxiety, addictions, and so on, along with what really helps to deepen the creative process.
Walter:
What is Ten Zen Seconds all about?
Eric:
It’s actually a very simple but powerful technique for reducing your stress, getting yourself centered, and reminding yourself about how you want to live your life. It can even serve as a complete cognitive, emotional, and existential self-help program built on the single idea of “dropping a useful thought into a deep breath”.
You use a deep breath, five seconds on the inhale and five seconds on the exhale, as a container for important thoughts that aim you in the right direction in life—I describe twelve of these thoughts in the book—and you begin to employ this breathing-and-thinking technique that I call incanting as the primary way to keep yourself on track.
Walter:
Where did this idea come from?
#464 Completely Stopping
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And its partner as part of the in breath out breath team.
#464 Completely Stopping
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I have now read the interview with Eric Maisel on Jan’s …in my spare time another down-under blog, from Coff’s Harbour in NSW, Australia.
I was impressed by how many books Eric has put our & has on the go. Inspiring.
Another question for Eric emerges, same theme as I’m my last post… the eastern ideas of enlightenment, and the psychological ideas on positivity seem to go against the notion of the unconscious, Jung’s notion of embracing the shadow in particular. Eric, what do you make of that?
And another question: I am curious about how you learnt this stuff Eric. You almost seem to say, here are the answers I learned the hard way so you don’t have to. Do you think there is struggle can be bypassed?
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Let me say how I enjoyed looking Jan’s blog. Creativity, books, GTD, coffee… we share a few interests. Jan is doing a series of paintings for each incantation in the Ten Zen Seconds book. Here is the first one, (I am) (completely stopping) Jan can I pinch that idea? One sketch per incantation, I’ll do it too! Look at this painting:
Continue reading “Eric Maisel interviewed on …in my spare time.”
I read this from Eric Maisel in the interview on Catherine’s Blog (read that interview):
First, the creating ought to come first each day – that’s a big secret and a big deal. When we get to our novel at five a.m. and write for an hour, then we have made some meaning on that day and face the meaninglessness of some of our daily pursuits with much more equanimity. If, on the other hand, we spend a meaningless day and THEN try to get to our writing, we are usually both worn out mentally and drained existentially, since we have been with “too little” meaning all day long.
Well, immediately I have a few questions! Really I’d like to know the answer to this:
What if you are not a “morning person”? I get to work in the nick of time in the morning, work all day, and then create mostly at night. Not ideal! I love my work, and I love the night-shift too. Is there a better way?
Secondly and perhaps more importantly, Eric, when you say “creating ought to come first” I initially read it as creating ought to come first in your life. I don’t think you said that, but it is an interesting notion. I subscribe to it in a Joseph Campbell “follow your bliss” way. What do you think?
I will be reflecting on the TZS for the next day & emailing Eric my questions, stay tuned.
I also want to apply the method to some sketching…
If I breathe into a few of these I can see it will help!
1. (I am completely) (stopping)
2. (I expect) (nothing)
3. (I am) (doing my work)
4. (I trust) (my resources)
5. (I feel) (supported)
6. (I embrace) (this moment)
7. (I am free) (of the past)
8. (I make) (my meaning)
9. (I am open) (to joy)
10. (I am equal) (to this challenge)
11. (I am) (taking action)
12. (I return) (with strength)
One little doubt creeps in… I have done quite a few sketches while less than centred, plenty of them, from a dark place or from an agitated self. Bursting, Blacker to mention just two. These have been satisfying. My creative work centers me. I imagine you have explored this nook of the creativity phenomena Eric, and I’m interested in your comments.
Dr Eric Maisel is an amazing man.
He has initiated (perhaps invented?) the world blog tour. He will be here on this blog Tuesday, 8 May (San Francisco time)
I found him while exploring sketches on the net (blogged that here). I found Danny Gregory, and liked his sketches a lot! That led me to a A Writer’s Paris, which I bought for the sketches as much as anything, then loved the essays. I delight in that book even now, a few month’s later. One theme of that book is that it is good to have a time & a place to write, to warm up to it, and to commit to it. To do it. And Paris is a place that will get the creative juices flowing.
I quickly saw Paris as a metaphor. Christchurch is Paris. It is a great little city the with cafes, galleries, a rivers, squares, churches, gardens, beaches and hills. A writer’s paradise in the South Pacific. And for me, right now, writing is sketching.
Then I learnt from his website that he is a creativity coach. Fascinating. I can see how people need that, I do. I sometimes want help with my sketching, but mostly it is simply connecting around the process of creativity I need. In fact too much input on sketching distracts me from what emerges.
Then I got hold of he other book: A Writer’s San Francisco I suppose San Francisco is a metaphor too, but not for me, I will be sketching there for 2 weeks in July and then for two weeks in New York.
As promised mid April, Eric will stop over here on Tuesday this week to chat & promote his latest book.
Right now I am catching up on his other blog stops, see the list here.
http://www.tenzenseconds.com/video_assets/blog_test_two_qt.mov
I am particularly interested in seeing that he was in Christchurch last week! He visited Catherine’s blog, Still Standing on Her Head, and I suggest you have a read – it is a very comprehensive interview and explains the process we will be talking about.
A sketch of Ralph Hotere, one of my favourite artists. I was at a Papergraphica the day I did this, learnt about their amazing work place, looked at a bunch wonderful work including Hotere lithographs.
Got immersed & that prompted me to sketch from a video I had out.
#0463 Ralph Hotere
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Later:
I thought I’d said more here about Hotere at the time, but, no. I will add more. Firstly some images. And links.