SARAH JANE CONKLIN'S FINE ART & BOOKS
  • Home
  • Paintings
    • Birds Nest Gallery >
      • Made in the Maritimes
    • Galleries
    • Water Paintings
    • Winter Scenes
    • Nova Scotian Landscapes
    • Feature Painting
    • Commissions
    • Daisies
  • Books
    • What's in Flora's Shoebox?
    • Nesting Grounds
    • Flying colours
    • Two Tough Birds
  • Shop Merch
  • About
    • Current and up-coming exhibits
    • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Contact
  • Poems
  • Blog

BLOG

Just do It!

3/6/2020

1 Comment

 
Perhaps NIKE was not targeting the endorphin seeking professional athletes when they advertised their line of gym attire with the slogan, Just Do It, but instead an audience of exercising procrastinators. In university, my husband would spend hours hanging around the library guarded by his volumes of text books under the guise of the pursuit of academia. Yeah…right! I knew back then he was the ultimate procrastinator in essay writing. There is nothing quite as daunting as a waiting pair of sneakers, white page, or in the artists’ world, a blank canvas. Why do I procrastinate; is it a fear of failure? Or fear of success? Or both? If the painting is an epic failure, I’ve lost confidence. If the painting is ‘successful’, then my expectations for a follow up painting increase.
Picture

Artists often struggle with ‘getting into the mindset’, and have perfected the art of procrastination. Many argue that they are waiting for their muse to appear. This in itself could be procrastination at its finest. Other's go to great lengths in the planning process. There is a fine line between a well-developed thought out plan in approaching a painting and the ultimate art of procrastination. Although every artist has their own painting process, they know that once they start their painting, they are committed and there is no turning back.  It's terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.
 
So whatever your reasons are for procrastinating writing that overdue email (or blog), cleaning  up the basement, or starting that art project; believe in yourself and the possibilities, then just do it. ‘Excuses’ are just that! Who knows where your initiative will take you? It could be the beginning of a great adventure. Failure isn’t about not succeeding; it’s not starting it in the first place. After all, you never make the shots you don’t take.  And I would never finish a painting that I didn’t start.
 

1 Comment
LellyPell
3/19/2020 07:11:38 pm

Nicely said and nicely put. I am following your lead and commenting immediately so as not to miss or put off this opportunity to respond to your “well said and good advice” blog!!!!
Thanks for the “nudge.” I shall heed your words and start a project of creativity tomorrow!!!
Hugs,
Lelly

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Sarah Jane Conklin. Visual artist living in Nova Scotia.

    Picture


    Archives

    November 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    February 2017
    January 2017
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    August 2013


    Picture

      CONTACT ME

    Submit
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Paintings
    • Birds Nest Gallery >
      • Made in the Maritimes
    • Galleries
    • Water Paintings
    • Winter Scenes
    • Nova Scotian Landscapes
    • Feature Painting
    • Commissions
    • Daisies
  • Books
    • What's in Flora's Shoebox?
    • Nesting Grounds
    • Flying colours
    • Two Tough Birds
  • Shop Merch
  • About
    • Current and up-coming exhibits
    • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Contact
  • Poems
  • Blog