Living a Creative Life

To live a creative life, you must lose your fear of being wrong. -Joseph Chilton Pearce

1976 Still Life

 I took my first steps towards becoming a painter in art  by taking classes by professional artists who truly knew what they were doing. I chose against Art College or degrees because I rarely saw any professor famous for their art. I did read about the artists who became great for their passion to paint, create and show their work simply because they had nothing else but that. Can you imagine that several of the greatest artists were rejected by schools of art?

During the years of learning to draw, mix colors and paint I copied other artworks, still life settings and practiced all the time wondering when it would simply just flow. Teachers gave instruction, but it was up to me to draw from that inner well of creative fires. Years of classes passed and fear of making mistakes took its toll. I would shrink sitting in front of blank canvases, fearful that I had no ideas or that it wouldn't turn out a masterpiece. I simply gave up art.

1998

Then a incredible time arose when living overseas. I met another artist who showed me how to break out of being a camera artist of perfection and make friends with mistakes and lessor works. We simply just worked on painting whatever came into our heads. The cloud of fear lifted and the flow now unclogged, trickled small works at first.  Just like priming a dry water pump takes some patience and and time, the flood of amazing art sprung into existence the more I worked my arts.

All fears set aside, mistakes were now blended into every painting created. I lost my fear of being wrong, lessor or a failure. I live the creative life in joy.




You can see my earlier works in this gallery which opened today:
http://barbara-beckazar.artistwebsites.com/art/all/amalgamarts+beginning+works/all

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LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS  Choose Clarity

Yin and Yang of Technology

I'm taking a college course in information technology including learning more about spreadsheets and how to make it work for daily use. We had to write about 3 things that we use on a regular basis. I cited address book and contact information, GPS maps on a phone and of word processing with graphic design programs as all making my work and home life easier. Then I pondered the impact of dependance on these devices... What would happen if we didn't have them?

All the ways we use as technology are so common we are all quite dependent on them. It's hard to imagine not having a phone around for the multiple tasks it offerers: call, texts, contact list, calendar and even figuring tips and simple math like discounts at stores. In some ways it's a bit sad, because figuring out numbers in our head is good for the brain as is writing letters and card and using postage.

Here are some of my thoughts about technology from another view as well as quotes along with some powerful questions to ask yourself if you are reading this.

Who would have ever thought even 10 years ago a phone could take pictures, be used as a level, a compass or to play games with? These devices have become the electronic control centers to many a persons home and business. In my mind I make a conscious effort of balance between my own control of real life and the virtual life.

What are your thoughts about being dependent on technology?

The flip side of technology can be ominous. Have you read the book "1984" by George Orwell? His prediction about technology taking over the world is a very dark picture of how computers are destructive to history and human relationships. He writes about Newspeak as the way the world communicates, thinks and behaves.

Are we headed that way ourselves?

Quotes from 1984:

"Don't you see the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the language of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible because there will be no words in which to express it"
— George Orwell (1984)

"If you can feel that staying human is worth while, even when it can't have any result whatever, you've beaten them."
— George Orwell (1984)

Quotes about the other side of technology:

Once upon a time we were just plain people.  But that was before we began having relationships with mechanical systems.  Get involved with a machine and sooner or later you are reduced to a factor.  ~Ellen Goodman, "The Human Factor," The Washington Post, January 1987

This is perhaps the most beautiful time in human history; it is really pregnant with all kinds of creative possibilities made possible by science and technology which now constitute the slave of man - if man is not enslaved by it.  ~Jonas Salk

Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.  ~Aldous Huxley
It is a medium of entertainment which permits millions of people to listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain lonesome.  ~T.S. Eliot, about radio

Tell me your thoughts!

References:
Technology Quotes Retrieved 3/2/2013 from : http://www.quotegarden.com/technology.html

1984 Quotes Retrieved 3/2/2013: http://www.goodreads.com/ Search 1984 George Orwell and Quotes.