Consistency

I think one of the most important--and least talked-about--elements of art school is consistency. Forget the teachers, forget the feedback, forget even the projects and final crits. The daily grind of needing to be in the same place at 9:00 a.m., rain or shine, tired or energized, happy or miserable: that is what I miss the most.

When I had a studio, the space itself would create the structure. The 35 minute walk to my much-lamented now-gone studio would help me make the transition into work mode, and once I entered the broken door with its peeling walls, I didn't get distracted.

Without a studio, trying to work is like fighting quicksand.

So, in the last few weeks I have been trying to create some internal structures:

• I undertook Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. I use "undertake" selectively, since I think of it as more than "reading".

The ins-and-outs of the experience require a post for themselves--and just entering week 3, I don't think it's time yet.

Still, even at this early point, I can say that the daily morning pages are useful. Not for any deep truths they have helped uncover, but for the daily commitment of starting the day with a creative act--rain or shine, tired or awake, depressed or energized. And even though I'm accountable only to a book, it helps.

Trying to find a way to bring that into drawing now... Have tried to follow the morning pages with a morning drawing, but it hasn't worked yet.

Perhaps I'll make myself accountable to the blog, and that will be the push-power....

• Which brings me to: the blog. This is my way of committing myself to staying involved, excited, and aware--and maybe expanding my artist community.

More on internal structures later....