Even In Death Art & Illustration

Hey everyone!  My blog has moved.  You can now catch up on my blog at my new site, www.evenindeathart.com.  Also, be sure to check out my illustrations and other artwork.  Thanks!

-Dave

One Race

Every time you turn your head to look at the person running next to you your Best Time becomes more difficult to attain.  When you concern yourself with someone else’s race you take you eyes off your own and begin to veer off course.  This is hack-running.

The Amateur Runner sees others a competition.  Not enough room for everyone in the field, others become a threat.  Too much at stake, too much to loose, excuses become part of the vocabulary as self-preservation is the name-of-the-game.

Keep running this way and you will never hit your stride.

The Experienced Runner is motivated by a different standard.  It’s not the race of others but their own race that really gets them going.  Here they are driven to give all they’ve got, holding nothing back and taking nothing away from others.

The field is big enough, plenty of room for other runners.  It’s One Community.  No threat, just fellow participants with whom you can find encouragement and inspiration.

Eyes straight ahead, keep running.

Something New

What are you interested in?  What do you want to try?  Don’t worry about the others.

Go ahead…step out. 

Discover something new.  Taste and see that It indeed “is good”.  Let your heart be filled, unleash your soul with the Joyful Dance.

It’s okay.  You are safe here.  Your identity is secure.  No one to please, no one to impress, you are already a part of the family.

Pain In the Ass

You are twistedly creative and have been given a mind few can navigate.  You are beautiful, witty and a pain-in-the-ass.  You are My pain-in-the-ass and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wrestling Match

Procrastination and Distraction are clever adversaries.  This one-two-punch-tag-team-duo will wrestle your creativity to the ground, pin it to the mat and leave it begging for mercy.

Scroll through your Facebook convincing yourself that links to “The Seven Things Everyone Should Do…” is empowering.  Flip through Instagram telling yourself that viewing other people’s dinner is fulfilling.  Keep checking (and re-checking) your inbox just in case something “new and important” arrives.

Keep doing this and your Artist won’t stand a chance in this fight.

These outlets are fine, but they are not your work.  Don’t engage your social media because you are searching for something to say.  Search yourself and discover you actually have something you have to express.  Don’t envy another ‘Friend’s’ latest carefully filtered picture; envision the place you want to go and, by all means, start moving towards it.

Procrastination and Distraction can only levy the strength you give them.

Don’t give in.  Don’t surrender.  You've only got one fight…come out of your corner swinging.

A Classroom Full of Voices

Is your head full of voices?

Yeah, mine too.

Each voice trying to get your attention, trying to tell you what you should do and who you should be.

Sifting through these voices is difficult, maddening really.  Like bumping your way through the halls of high school during passing period, these voices are reflecting back insecurities and an unattainable image.

Each voice seems so confident their way is the way and they want you to join their clique.  But we know from experience that not all of the voices are the True Voice.  We have listened to them before, tried on their style and felt “not quite right”.  Each experience leaves us uncomfortable in our own skin, an awkward teenager. 

We feel like a phony, a counterfeit.  Like we’ve done something wrong and we will soon by found out.

Yet there is another voice trying to get our attention.  This voice, completely uninterested with popularity, does not use the tactics of the others.  No bullhorns, no fear mongering, no promises of popularity, no inflated hubris or wallowing self-defeat.

This voice is steady and still.

We know this voice but we over-ride it with second-guessing and “reasonable thinking”.

The other voices will talk until they are blue in the face while the True Voice waits patiently.  The trick is not to silence all of the competing voices (this will only make them shout louder) but, instead, to acknowledge them.  These voices are a part of the class and a piece of you.

Like a seasoned teacher who acknowledges the misguided and disruptive statements of a student, “Thank you for sharing, you’ve been heard, you can put your hand down now.”

“I’d like to hear from the others.”

In this case the teacher is not caught up in her pupil’s musings (which carry the potential to derail the day’s instruction).  Yet at the same time, the student is not viewed as a threat.  Instead, this vetted instructor is able to honor and affirm the truth; this voice is a part of the class and, once it has been heard, can go back to silence. 

This silence creates space.

In this space the True Voice, the Quiet One (like the shy kid in the back corner) can be invited to share Her unique brilliance, that the entire class might grow, learn and discover.

It's Probably No Good

It could fall on deaf ears.  It might not be any good.  People may think it was a waste of time, a “fool’s endeavor ”.

There may not be any reward ceremony upon its completion.  It may never be remembered because there was never a time when it was known.  Others may not see its significance.  It might even be a huge disappointment. 

There will likely be frustration along the way.  Set-backs may be on the travel itinerary.  Fear will most likely serve as your co-pilot while Responsibility, Shame, and Guilt will shout from the back seat.

But so what?  What else is new?

Get over it and do it regardless. 

Create, make, and contribute not because you need people to accept it but because you can’t imagine doing anything else.