Babysteps.

Somehow life is so busy right now that when I scrape one tiny moment to get into the studio I swear I just stand there and stare, I don't even know where to begin.  Then, the tiny moment is gone.  Time is so precious and Art time is especially precious and I have to learn how to turn it on and fast once I get that tiny moment.

How to turn it on, and fast...?

For me, one trick is to start in.  So these little works on paper, these failures, these starts-to-something-that-went-nowhere, these non-precious snippets, these are a place to jump right in the water.  There's no worrying about whether I'll mess it up.  Who cares?  It was already studio pollution that did not make me happy anyway.

I say "just start in", as if.  Easier said than done.  I'm analyzing here, trying to figure out my thought process.  One helpful thought for me personally is "babysteps".  I adore babysteps.  They're not a bit overwhelming.  See, thinking "I need to make that humongous triptych become wonderful today" is waaaay too overwhelming.  But thinking "I need to choose a color that makes me happy to apply to this mess" is do-able.  Simple.  Choose a color.  Easy as pie.

Then, once the chosen color is in your hot little hand, its time for another babystep.  "I need to decide the area I don't like the most on this hot mess and apply this color to obliterate it".  See, simple.  Very do-able.

Apply said happy color and get happier.  It will work.  Then, sit, stare, and think about the next babystep.  What will make me even happier about this (now slightly-less of a) mess?  It will become apparent, so listen up.  Then do that.  Still not feeling it?  Make your babystep even smaller.  I need to put a paintbrush in my hand.  I need to refill my water jar.  Get comfortable.  Move the paper one inch over.  Tiny, positively miniscule babysteps.  Dip. My. Brush.  Move. My. Hand.  Yes, I've gone there.

Then slip into the time and the silence.  That's how I made all these little mini-masterpieces (joke) yesterday.  I know they're not mini-masterpieces duh.  But, they are no longer studio pollution.  I actually kind of love things about them all.  And most importantly, I couldn't wait to get going on that huge triptych long-forgotten over in the corner.

Life IS short.  Peaches ARE ripe.  I've got to get painting.

I'm no expert, that's fer'sure.  But, I constantly hear from fellow art makers that they have trouble with "writer's block" and have trouble figuring out what to do  to make it happen.   This is my system.  Every single time I apply it I doubt it will work and every single time I apply it it does, indeed, work.  Something takes over.   Something, somewhere, whoever's in charge.

There's no time to sit there and be not making art.  No time for that.

So find a hot mess and get going.