Creative Cycle part III

Well I sent out an email to my people and included the wrong link to this blog so updating it
and will get out a corrected email through Constant Contact.com If you are reading this and want to be on my email list for show announcements and other images send an email to reif@reif.com
PS The fence yesterday blew down and broke off an outdoor faucet that was running into the street for half a day before we noticed the water pressure was down in the house. Was a wet job capping off the pvc pipe but all is well, again. Stay warm and dry. Reif

CREATIVE CYCLE

part III

This leads me to the fourth Aspect: Detachment.

In nature, Winter is the time where all the growth takes place unseen under the earth in the roots.

In my art, color is put down and worked with until nothing further can be done with that color, in that moment a release comes, the detached moment when my mind goes from the small detail back to the larger pattern of values. I become the observer of myself.

And so is Life. Detachment is the place where I become the true observer of my life and thoughts. This can be symbolized by holding onto life with an open hand, and not a closed fist of greed, desire, and want. Detachment to me is a sacred place and the place of real beginnings. This is the place of quiet reflection, and listening deeply to the inner self.

Being stuck in Detachment is living life without the “ah-ha s” with no inspiration at all. An unwillingness to look at the deeper self of who you are, this is an old habit of mine. This can be a lonely and depressed place. But, I have learned to keep moving at a slower pace, to cut myself some slack. Cycles will eventually change if I keep moving. There is also another secret that propels me forward. An Attitude of Gratitude.

I am constantly avoiding the polarities of thinking in black and white, right and wrong, to do or not to do, but learning the art of having an open mind as the Buddhists would teach. I avoid the anxiousness and anxiety of the day as much as possible, and practice forgiveness of myself for being human, and forgiveness of others for being themselves, and I try not to take things personally. It’s not easy, but I know I can get stuck when I think in polarities of me vs. them, or right vs. wrong. I consciously love myself with my flaws and move on into the moment. Gratitude circumvents the inner critic. It leads to acceptance of self with all my limitations, knowing I don’t have to do it all myself. It’s a place of trust in something bigger than myself.

I also remind myself to listen to my thoughts as they surface and to modify the undesirable thoughts. I mean, I add something to the thought that will change the meaning. I might say to my self: “I should have said something.” To me changed to “ I look forward to an appropriate time to speak my truth.” Or I might say, “I really screwed that up” and change it to “I am thankful I am human and can make mistakes.” Or, I might realize “I was driving to fast and close today” and modify it to “I look forward to being able to cruise more relaxed.” And so detachment is the ultimate clearing of one’s mind of business or busy-ness.

In creating a life, the key is to prepare myself by releasing the grip on life as it is,… of what others think,… of labels that Ego places on our actions as good or bad, …and to know each moment in gratitude …in thankfulness…. and joy and peace.
I also get stuck in Detachment is the inability to let go of things. I collect a lot of stuff, and throw very little away. To flow with the creative cycle of change I know I have to let go more often, and that does not come easy for me.

And then the cycle repeats itself, out of the openness of mind a new inspiration comes unexpectedly, and in that moment I choose to listen or not listen. It usually does not come with a loud voice for I must learn to listen in stillness and to follow the dream. It takes practice, but it IS the natural order of things.

I want to tell you a story of a Zen student who was having a hard time meditating. He continually saw a red dragon and a white dragon fiercely battling within his mind. So he went and asked his master, “Whenever I try meditating, I see two great dragons locked in combat, and I get anxious as to who will win.” The master’s reply, “The winner will be the one you feed.”

We are all creative and are responsible not for our past or the future, but only for this very moment – the eternal now. What are you creating? … What dragon are you feeding? …. I want to leave you with a challenge. I want you challenge you to Dream big, and be willing, and committed to fill the shoes to walk that dream.

Thanks for your interest and support

Blustering weather here in Auburn, blew down part of my fence, and 4 of my students cancelled class because of the weather, some without electricity. Here's part two to the creative cycle.

CREATIVE CYCLE

part II

Fear short circuits choices, and keeps me stuck in Assimilation. In life, this is where I get stuck the most. Making up my mind and making a decision. Getting started is 80% of the work for me. That’s the trouble with being somewhat of a perfectionist or having to always do it right, or not at all. Perfectionism gets in the way when it is applied to everything…. What helps here is the level of commitment to the vision. What if the source of our original inspiration lies in something greater than ourselves – in the interconnectedness of all living things. What if my inspiration was not my thought but belonged to the universe? Would not the whole universe then support me in bringing it into being. Sometimes, knowing the source of the inspiration can deepen the commitment that moves me forward through the refinement process of Assimilation and choices.

Some other helpful hints are to realize that inspiration is a gift that needs to be nurtured. Put action, however small, into a time slot or routine, and keep moving forward, even if it is slow. Keep the vision alive.


The Third Aspect is Expression in the external world Putting action to your thoughts.

In Nature, Summer fades and the harvest is gathered as the air becomes crisp, and autumn colors celebrate labors of long days now gone.

In Art, having mastered the techniques of painting in pastel, I can enjoy actually watching myself paint. But that is the exception and not the rule. Usually there always remains a challenge to be worked out in the doing of it. Life is like this, too.

How something is done is just as important as the doing of it. In life, there comes the development of skills and practice that takes time before competence is realized. It is the level of commitment that continues to propel me forward through difficulties in Expression, and why clarity of vision is so important. Expression may be as simple as the courage to ask a question, or state a truth against opposition. Be patient. One may have to grow to fit the shoes to walk the dream.


For me, I get stuck in Expression because I get hyper-focused and cannot stop until the job is done. Sometimes I develop such an intensity on doing something that any distraction or interruption has a big emotional discharge to go with it. Sometimes in my initial excitement I rush to get it done and run out of steam before the task is completed. I get bored and am off doing something else, ending up with a lot of half completed jobs. Being stuck in Expression is an inability to take a break. Like the stubbornness of trying to push water upstream. There is a loss of flow. So, I am learning to take more breaks, and to take a slower pace in tackling goals, to keep the commitment clear, and to stay in the flow and balance.

This leads me to the fourth Aspect: Detachment.

conclusion on Sunday,

thanks

reif

Creative Cycle

Last Sunday I gave a sermon at my congregation on the Creative Cycle and how it relates to life on the whole and not just about creating art. I thought I'd include it here in three parts, It was well recieved on Sunday and even got an unauthorized applause! It was nice to speak on something that so many people responded to, so here goes, Part 1

THE CREATIVE CYCLE

The creative cycle I’m going to share with you today began 25 years ago with an interest in the creative process while studying art and has evolved to a four step model which I’ve been working with for 12 years. This creative cycle is in my art, in Nature, as the four seasons, and in creating my life. I’m not talking about the craft of painting but rather how the creative process applies to me in my thinking and doing. I will talk about getting stuck on the creative cycle and what that is like, and some helpful hints on keeping the flow moving.

The main thing to be achieved in the creative cycle is balance and flow, the ability to move through the 4 aspects without getting stuck, and to stay long enough in each one to learn what the lesson is to be learned. Balance and Flow.


The first Aspect of the Creative Cycle is Inspiration

In Nature, Winter snows melt and water flows in abundance and Spring bursts forth upon us in blossoms of magnificent color.
In my Art, I paint landscapes and it starts with the Ah-ha, the point of inspiration, an emotion or excitement. I love this part: trying to convey something greater than what can be seen with our eyes, … this is the joy of painting for me…. It usually lies in the play of light and shadow, or the sound of water, or the rhythms of warm and cool color.

And Life is like this too: there are moments of unexpected inspiration and “ah-has” of an idea that becomes clear, a truth not realized before, or something that needs to be done, a simple change.
It’s all inspiration.

Being stuck in Inspiration, is not being able to move forward into choices. It’s inspiration after inspiration without the commitment to the dream, an exciting place of continual entertainment without personal connection and commitment. Ideas of things outside myself rather than the deeper dream of who am I and what is my purpose, my dream. Inspiration is a gift that needs to be nurtured, pay attention and allow it to grow. Renew your commitment to Life and your Life. It is personal commitment to the vision that propels us forward into the second Aspect: Assimilation and choices.

In Nature Spring moves into the abundance and growth of the long days of Summer’s sun.

In Art I was taught, “that the clearer the image is from the beginning the better the result.” Now this is not a painting lecture. The point is the importance of clarity of vision, as the inspiration unfolds. This is important, the clearer the image is from the beginning the better the result, because deeper is the commitment.

I want to go into this more: How to develop clarity. It is so important in the creative cycle. First, energy is all around us. Even color does not exist out there, only light. On the subatomic level it is more empty space and energy than it is substance. Second, thought is a pattern of energy. Third, energy cannot be destroyed, but it can be transformed. So, through visualization, by putting the thought into emotions and senses of sight, sound, touch, and even smell we transform that pattern of energy into something larger and more physical…. Our living bodies become generators of this energy pattern, so the greater physical universe begins to align its energy field around us in the same frequency and pattern. Some people call this the Law of Attraction. By changing thoughts into sensations I am more apt to recognize opportunity that may already exist. Reality changes with the way I think.
In Life this is how it works: Once, I was focusing on how to experience more joy in my life, and imagining what it felt like to laugh, and right away Nancy speaks up and says something that just made me smile. Later at lunch, she suggested having a chocolate milk shake, which I definitely agreed to treat myself. After all, it is chocolate. And she asks, is that not adding more joy to your life?

I cannot hide my thoughts and my emotions; they are continuously evidenced in my life, without question. They are the conscious and unconscious forces that drive me forward in my life…. But I can be responsible for my choices and how I choose to think I can change my thinking habits that keep me stuck in my reality.

Been enjoying the holidays, hope yours have gone well. Finished up two Mondrian type triangel pieces. Hope to get some pictures to you soon. For now here are a few more teaching demos.

Twilight Approaches in the Sierras 9 1/4" x 12 1/4"

"Cyprus Point IV" Oregon 9 1/4" x 12 1/4"

"Headwaters of the Merced" Yosemite NP 9 1/4" x 12 1/4"

"Autumn Color III" 9 1/4" x 12 1/4"

"Hetch Hetchy II" 9 1/4" x 12 1/4"