Carly Swenson | Intuitive Painter

Category: artist’s way

  • artist date

    artist date

    For this week’s artist date, I again forced my introverted self beyond my comfort zone to attend another art workshop. An adorable neighborhood vintage supply/repurpose shop, Junket, hosts various artistic workshops and events that have peaked my interest for months. This past Friday was an Open Studio Creative Art Journaling Session with one of their…

  • artist’s way III: week 3

    artist’s way III: week 3

    Week 3: Recovering a Sense of Power “Those of us who get bogged down by fear before actions are usually being sabotaged by an older enemy, shame.”-Julia Cameron I hadn’t related this idea of shame as a deterrent of creativity to Chapter 1‘s shadow artist concept until this third delve into the Artist’s Way. Since…

  • artist’s way III: week 3 • artist date

    artist’s way III: week 3 • artist date

      For my artist date this week, I got back into visual journaling. I love art journaling and I’ve returned to the process again and again over the years.  While my style of journaling has evolved and changed throughout the years–the process of playing with artistic mediums and expressing thoughts and feelings through art is…

  • Artist Date 1.17.18

    Artist Date 1.17.18

    Those of you familiar with me as a human, or through my blog are probably aware that I’m an endearingly charming human who is irrationally scare of, well, life. While I do force myself out of my comfort zone, the level and regularity of those efforts can vary drastically. I attended a Mandala Making art workshop,…

  • artist’s way III: week 2

    artist’s way III: week 2

    Week 2: Recovering a Sense of Identity In week two of The Artist’s Way, Cameron emphasizes the importance and beauty of simply paying attention. “…but just at this moment, just now, that’s alright. I am breathing in and out. Realizing this, I began to notice that each moment was not without its beauty.” -Julia Cameron,…

  • artist’s way III: week 1 • artist date

    artist’s way III: week 1 • artist date

    For my first artist date, I took time to simply sketch. It was simple and relaxing. I used reference images from my simple 365 photography project. I sketched quick vignettes of natural textures, man-made patterns, flowers and plants, etc.     And apparently, my little cat also found my sketching time quite relaxing.

  • artist’s way III: introduction & week 1

    artist’s way III: introduction & week 1

    It’s a new year, and I’ve entered a beautiful new chapter of my life. My life is leveling out after the chaos of drastic transition. And, I’m excited to get back into my artistic endeavors (including working through The Artist’s Way). I appreciate the value of The Artist’s Way, but it’s difficult to finish. Working…

  • artist’s way II: week five artist date, part II

    I wanted to try intuitive painting again after my week five artist date, although, I didn’t think I would get back into it again, so soon.  As I mentioned in my earlier post, I recently purchased Flora Bowley’s book, Brave Intuitive Painting.  It’s a beautiful book, I love her perspective on painting, and her concepts…

  • artist’s way II: week five artist date

    I found this book at the art store.  I am not entirely sure why I was drawn to it–but I was.  A week later, I was buying more art-supply-goodness and purchased it on a whim.  I figured it would be a good start for an artist date, and it was.  I was very pleased with this…

  • artist’s way II: week five

    We strive to be good, to be nice, to be helpful, to be unselfish.  We want to be generous, of service, of the world.  But what we really want is to be left alone.  –Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way In reality, I think it has been five weeks since my Week Four post.  While, I am…

  • artist’s way II: week four

    Reading deprivation is a very powerful tool–and a very frightening one.  Even thinking about it can bring up enormous rage.  For most blocked creatives, reading is an addiction.  We gobble the words of others rather than digest our own thoughts and feelings, rather than cook up something of our own. –Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way…

  • artist’s way II: week four artist date

    For my artist date this week, I simply played.  Often, I get too caught up with my works evolving to express their various intuitive meanings–I get caught up with the result instead of enjoying the process.   It took a while to get settled once we received our crates of household goods.  However, I have…