Artistic Abundance: Giving Thanks . . .

During this holiday-giving-thanks weekend, Seal would like to write about artistic abundance.

Artists create freely and are more productive when they feel abundant.

Much too often we are stingy with ourselves, with our care, our time, our money, our supplies -- which reflects in our creativity. We deprive ourselves of sleep, of food, of images and ideas by shutting ourselves up in our studio and forcing ourselves to "work" rather than "create" or "play."

I have met many people who tell themselves that they do not have enough time or money to do art. Or when we do create, we may feel that time is running out in becoming "discovered," or that "soon we will run out of ideas." Or if we are successful, we feel it may not last. This is what I call a mentality of lack. Continue on this path and the art will soon be dead. Our society operates in this cancerous way.

But there is a remedy - it is thanks-giving. It is the quickest and most lasting way to feel abundant.

Monkey and Seal practice thanks-giving every chance they can get. They are grateful for the roof over their head, the food on the table, the supportive friends and family, their art, their art supplies, their day jobs, the clothes on their back, this blog, and many more! Thanks-giving switches the brain to break negative thought patterns and focuses on current positive situation and future possibilities.

There are many more ways to feel abundant, name 5 things you can do right this minute to give more care to your artistic self. (buy that canvas I really wanted, fix the sewing machine, buy buttons from the goodwill for my project, eat a warm meal, watch that movie I've been putting off, read that book I've been meaning to read. . . .) then do it. Fulfill your promise. Your artist self will be glad and happy to create. Seal buys herself funny $1.50 stickers, a blank sketchpad, and chai tea with soy.

You don't have to spend money either. She also likes to go to the park, read in the library, and listen to music. Whatever it is that makes your artist-self feels like a million bucks. Remember that your artist-self is like a child in many ways -- it likes treats, acknowledgments, celebrations, and feeling abundant.

At Seal's old work place, there were two signs doodled in bright markers: "it can be done within our budget" and "it can be done within our time." These are very powerful statements. People at this workplace felt endless possibility.

People just want to be around and work with other creatively inspired people. Many artistic connections and jobs happen this way.

start now: "Thank you, thank you so much for . . . "