Happy First Day of Spring ~ Transitions

Paul Klee, Untitled, 1940
watercolor, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Here in Taos today, the first day of Spring is warm and sunny with cloudless, bright blue skies. A March breeze is up, making for clear vistas especially of our beautiful snow capped mountain. Spring Arts Festival is in the air with galleries, shops, & museums preparing for the May-June events.
I didn't choose a Taos artist this week, but the Swiss artist Paul Klee as his little landscape reminds me of Spring on the Mediterranean. I grew up near San Francisco and every time I go back to visit, I go to the Paul Klee room of the SFMOMA to view Klee's works. This is one of my favorites. Klee means clover in Swiss; clover, a sure sign of Spring. Klee was one of the harbinger's of modern expressionism, a "transitioner" if I may coin a word. I'd like to dedicate this blog to the late Charles Miedzinski, Ph.D., my art professor and friend, who was my first teacher in my transition from my art as craft & hobby to my fine art painting. Charles loved Paul Klee; and, though I've had many wonderful teachers, he was the finest, most inspiring.
In creativity transition is always a factor. I make a transition from my computer to my easel. We decide to try out a new media. Our gallery closed and now we must find new opportunities. We can't find a publisher soon enough to satisfy our excitement about our work and our impatience to launch it out into the world. Sometimes transitions are quick and breezy, and other times would try the patience of a turtle. In these times I find it helpful to keep my eye on the goal, not on the delays. For example, I had planned to start my Art of Creativity Writing Workshop this week. Alas, the wind blew down my posters and the newspaper put my ad in a most obscure part of the paper. Delay! However, I keep visualizing the workshop taking off next week, Wed., March 26th, a very good day as it's my grandfather's & sister's birthday, a good luck day! And, I know from experience that new businesses, any new endeavours, take time to gain momentum. So, I shall exercise patience, and, in the meantime, head for the easel now! Have a most lovely Holiday/Easter Weekend! Happy Creativity!

Welcome to My Creativity Blog

La Luz New Mexico, Harold Joe Waldrum
I'm so excited about this new endeavour that I barely know where to start. First I want to thank Eric Maisel, who just guided me through 16 weeks of Creativity Coach training. I just "graduated!" Not only did I have a most wonderful experience with my clients-in-training, but I came into a deeper place of having my own art and writing matter! I can now say "I am the artist," whereas before I thought of myself as becoming or not quite there. I also now have a regular daily practice, creating in the middle of life. And, I am daring to put myself out into the greater creative community even more. This doesn't mean I don't still have doubts and trepidations. Sure, I do. However, I'm practicing how to keep from letting them take me into despair. This exciting new progress in life is what I also want for my creative clients, family, and friends.
I shall share, in this blog and in my coaching, ways to achieve meaning and mattering, routine, positive self-talk, overcome depression, and so much more. I will also talk about creating here in Taos, the original Southwest art community. That doesn't mean I'll neglect artists and writers elsewhere in the world, as there are so many I am fond of.
To start I've posted a Waldrum etching. Waldrum lived in Taos from 1979 to 1990. I love the simplicity, with depth, that Waldrum expressed. His colour combinations are unparalleled and have given my own paintings a whole new daring. If you ever come to Taos you can see his etchings at Lumina Gallery!
I'm available now for Creativity Coaching (all artistic endeavours), either by phone or in-person, e-mail coaching, or workshops and support groups. Contact me for more information. My first Taos Art of Creativity workshop for writers, of all levels, begins on March 19th for 6 weeks! It includes free weekly e-mail support! Hope you can join us at the Lumina Gallery for this exciting adventure in making your writing a success!