Can you remember a parent or grandparent saying “Be patient!?”
Well this is what I told myself this morning. I am so close to finishing the last original oil paintings for my solo exhibition STUDY OF BLUE opening June 30, 2011 at the Oceanwood Resort on Mayne Island, British Columbia Canada. Two of their luxury rooms are already booked with guests who are planning on coming to see my paintings. One painting has sold as part of the pre-sales offered. Images of thirteen of these paintings are now in a folder on flickr in preparation for their journey to be posted in the Art of Day online gallery.
Would you agree that this is a fine start? So why am I be asking myself to be patient.
I have two paintings to complete to reach my self-imposed fifteen minimum for the show. I wanted to complete them this week. I have no particularly good reason for wanting them done this week other than I am so very close to finishing. This nearing-the-end-of-a-big-project is always a critical time for me. Starting with three “seed paintings” I have been holding the energetic space for this creative process since November of last year. I have set aside my photography to focus on my impressionist painting. I have said “no” too many things as make room for this one priority. There is an energy that builds around this kind of step by step flowing determination to reach a goal. It is like seeing the last 2 km marker when running a marathon. We know we are going to make it to the finish line but we must hold our focus for a strong finish.
This is where I am at. I have the underpainting reading on a 24 x 36 inch cotton canvas.
And I have a bit of a mess I have scraped and started again on a 16 x 20 inch birch framed gessobord.
I went to sleep with the intention of rushing flip-flopping to the finish line today. But instead, when I awoke, I told myself “be patient and finish strong.” So instead of picking up my brush, I looked at the calendar. Tomorrow is Good Friday and it is Earth Day.
It is the beginning of a four-day weekend with one more week in the month of April. I have time. I can finish these last two paintings at a moderate and inspired pace. I can finish strong. Afterall, they are not my last paintings – just the last two on this leg of my artist’s journey. The solo exhibition is an arbitrary self-defined finish line. I am about three weeks ahead of schedule. I shall be patient.
Sprout question: When was the last time you needed to be creatively patient?
Note: The next Creative Potager post will be on Tuesday instead of Monday due to the long weekend. Have a most pleasant and enjoyable Easter Weekend.
© 2011 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.
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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.
From Mayne Island,British Columbia,Canada
Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com
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Creative Potager 
Far more than “a fine start”. Wishing you great success with the show. Marvelous work!
Thank you so much Maureen. You kind words me a lot.
Dear readers, over the weeks ahead leading up to the exhibition I ask that you think about who you would like to invite. I have pre-paid wine/beer/beverage and appetizers for a minimum of 50 guest to the physical opening at the Oceanwood. However, this exhibition will be virtual as well as physical. So you can all come and bring your guests too. I will be doing a special invitation post that you can share and I am happy to do interviews for your blogs, radio shows or newspapers or any other creative idea you might have. My personal online reach is about 1,000 people world wide. Together, I would like to expand that reach to 10,000 or more. What do you think?
Absolutely love this series, what a visually stunning show! You’ve done a wonderful job of showcasing the many different faces of Mayne Island forests and ocean views. I look forward to seeing the last two. Enjoy your long weekend Terrill!
Melodie
Thank you Melodie. Mayne Island is a beautiful island to show case. I will be sure to post each of the last two as they are finished. Best of Easter weekend to you as well.
I need to be creatively patient right now – I feel that the reason I am not getting a job is because I have something just right for me coming my way….and I must sweep out the floors of my self before I can be ready….I keep finding more stuff in the corners….painful stuff…
There is no flow in my life right now…not a good time to paint with my words in other than short bursts…doing a lot of walking…
I just love the process of your work….thank you for sharing….it helps me to see my process, but I certainly get frustrated and I do not feel ahead.
Patricia I can tell you are doing with this transition what needs to be done. When else do we find time to “sweep out the floors” of our self? Just think about how pristine and clear you will feel when you are finished… not that we ever really are finished but I can sense a lightness in waiting for your for your efforts. I often feel frustrated and not ahead of things as well. But then I take a different view and find out that it was me setting the unrealistic expectations. A slight revision and I am floating along in front of my goal instead of dragging myself towards the finish line. I am glad you let me know that sharing the process is helpful. I was thinking – how boring. No new painting to share today. But instead, you found a stepping stone in your own journey. This is one of the nice things about being in creative community with others.
What’s that phrase. . .’steady as she goes’! I’m reminded of that as you speak of your project Terrill. I felt similarly last year when I was coming down to the wire with the editing of my first manuscript . I just wanted to see it in print. It had taken 8 years to write and I just wanted it to be DONE. I wanted to feel a sense of accomplishment. I remember my editor saying ‘steady as she goes’ to me in the height of my fight to the finish. It was hard to relax, the same way it’s hard to relax into labor. However the birth is always easier when the mom is not stressed to the nines.
Terrill part of what makes your work so attractive is the essence of you – niqueness that is in it. All that energy that comprises who you are is delivered onto the canvas as an exquisite reflection of balance – this the viewer senses and is attracted to.
Your patron are buying a piece of peace reflected through you in the essence of all that patience and pondering that goes into your collaborations with nature. Your work is hard to resist for that very reason. Who wouldn’t want to plug into that energy 24/7/365!
Your paintings act as portalways into the frequency calibration of nature, releasing a vibration that one naturally gravitates toward. . . the success of your art work is assured.
As I gaze into my crystal ball (and, yes of course I have a crystal ball) I see bright horizons and feel your joy as you celebrate a happy win with your show. You can relax, the hard work is over and the delivery assured – you deserve to take the scenic route to the finish line Terrill:)
Wow! Alison how did you know exactly what would make me blush with pleasure and be overwhelmed with gratitude all at the same time?
Dear readers I am sure you know but just in case, I didn’t ask or pay Alison to say such glowing things and such wise words of acknowledgment and encouragement. I promise. She came up with this all on her own and I am so appreciative! At times we all need someone to champion our efforts. I didn’t even know I needed to hear these words until I read them – they have caught me completely off guard and open to receiving.
Alison, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Wise, wise, wise! Whenever I rush, I regret it. And time is an illusion … we must not become slaves to a mortal construct that merely provides a framework for a brief mortal experience. Dig deeper, always, and find peace in knowing every project will ultimately be incomplete in some way … tis the nature of the Universe. Your inner wisdom is giving you all the right clues, Terrill. And like you, I’m taking a bit of a breather for the next few days. Have been running at a bit of a fast pace, and it’s time to breathe again, discover the stillness within. Your June 30th show will be magical any way you slice it, paint it, or imagine it! Namaste.
Daisy I smiled deeply at your words “every project will ultimately be incomplete in some way … tis the nature of the Universe.” Yes indeed. Today, we went for a last minute spontaneous picnic at the beach. It was most grand watching children play and dogs running and swimming for balls. Our island doubles in population during holidays. The places that are mostly quiet all winter now bubble with excitement. It is as sure a sign of spring as the bubble bees and lady slippers.
Terri, what a lovely post. Your paintings are strong, vibrant and oh so alive! Wish I could attend the show in person and see them all together. Creative Patience is exactly what I am working on, having discovered that the beautiful century old barn that I have created and exhibited in for the past four summers is no longer available to me. I must let it go with grace and turn and open myself to the new opportunities that will arise. This is difficult as I was so in love with this magical, mystical space that opened countless hearts and souls when they entered into it’s aura. Patience is sometimes the only way to live yourself into the new forms that are already being birthed as the old ones die away.
I wish you the greatest success with your show and am intrigued by your on line presence as well. I will be sure to spread the word as best I can. Your work speaks very directly to my heart and soul.
Thank you Holly and I am going to imagine you finding the perfect new place to create and show your work this summer. These changes are sometimes more challenging that where we make our bed at night or eat our breakfast in the morning. As I notice more little smears of paint on the floor, the desk or now even the window, I remind myself I am creating creative depth to my work space – which just happens to be where I live as well.
I wish you could come to the show as well. I will keep us posted on how the online opportunity develops. I can imagine how it will work so that usually is enough to make it happen.
Terrill – As one of your subscribers, I saw an email come through this morning alerting me to a new post. Ohhhhh, I was tempted to peek at it right then, but no. I decided to let it be the carrot that dangled in front of me all day as a reward for completing a “return home to-do list.” The list is done now and I’ve just treated my eyes to a delicious feast — thank you.
I love the photograph of Coen. Right under it you said, “I can finish these last two paintings at a moderate and inspired pace.” Those are key ingredients to success.
Sprout question: When was the last time you needed to be creatively patient?
Just a couple of weeks ago when I was at the Writers’ Institute at UW-Madison. “Patience” was my watch-word throughout the event.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Laurie what an honour to have this post be your carrot at the end of the day 🙂 Patience is a great watch word particularly in stressful or challenging events and sometimes even when excitement is the ruling emotion. Best of the weekend to you as well.
A fine start? Try a spectacular one! I expected on this glorious Easter time window you’d be spreading around your incomparable artistic beauty, and it’s always great to have the stimulating look at the preparation and work in progress. Creative patience is something that comes along with the actual speak that initiates the process. Brevity is dictated by the breath of the creativity, and something tells me you’ve been inspired more often than not these days to move forward.
Have a peaceful Good Friday and lovely Easter Sunday my friend, you and David and the entire brood (and little Coen of course!)
Thanks Sam! Believe it or not David and I are on our own this weekend with our various children doing their own things. Unlike Christmas, we rarely get together at Easter. Some of the kids are off skiing and snowboarding for the last days of the spring season. Some are having brunch with friends. A couple others are getting together for a visit. And one of David’s daughters will drop over for a visit on Tuesday before returning to work. It feels great and very relaxing. I picked up two small brightly coloured tinfoil wrapped organic chocolate Easter eggs each for David and I and we are done!
Thank you Sam as always for your kind words of encouragement. Happy Easter to you and Lucille and your bunch 🙂
A very fine start–indeed.
Your words are so wise and timely for me as I run on to complete my own creative marathon. Together, may we, finish strong with our shoulders back and our faces turned toward the sun.
All the best, my friend.
Leanne
Leanne this sounds perfect – to “finish strong with our shoulders back and our faces turned toward the sun.” I love this image.
dear terrill,
with bach on the radio (what else on this easter sunday), i scrolled through your blog and delight in the life you caputure with brush and lense. ahhhh to be alive and seeing! thank you. thank you. peter
Peter it is a delight to have you drop by and pay a visit. I woke at 4:00 am this morning. Soon the morning songbirds joined me and I was digging in the garden by 5:30 am. To be an active part of a day’s beginning makes for a perfect Easter Sunday here on Mayne Island. I shall need an afternoon nap though 🙂
Gorgeous start, Terrill! What a Wonderful Beauty break. Your work is magnificent, transcendent. Sending Blessings for an Amazing show. Your buyers are very lucky, indeed.
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