The Courage to Create

Jan 12, 2017 | Articles

The Painting Experience Blog | The Courage to Create

Process painting gifts us with many insights and understandings that become landmarks in our own personal journey. It’s not a narcissistic activity, as some might think, because by working on ourselves, we are working on the world. In the mirror of painting, our narcissistic tendencies are revealed as creative blocks, and we must emerge from the realm of self-involvement to proceed. 

In our hesitation to pick a color, we notice our self-doubt. In our reaction to the forms and images that appear, we glimpse the immense network of our judgments. Physical sensations come to the forefront as we enter into the somatic reality of being in the moment. Tendencies to look outside and compare become highlighted as they pull us away from ourselves and exhaust us. Attempts to capture what worked before create a flatness and boredom that nudge us toward the risk of the unknown. Familiar feelings of inadequacy, unworthiness and awkwardness parade in front of us, hoping once again to capture our allegiance.

Behind and between these familiar voices, we’re also graced with those magic moments of self-transcendence and quiet stillness in which we glimpse something of our own true nature. As our defenses against the reality of our lives become more transparent, we begin a truly life-transforming work. The intimate moments of courage, surrender and breakthrough that the painting process so naturally calls forth will lead to changes in the way we perceive and act. The paintings, at a certain point, jump off the page, showing us the way to a more courageous and meaningful participation in the world.

“The object of painting a picture is not to make a picture—
however unreasonable this may sound.
The picture, if a picture results, is a by-product
and may be useful, valuable, interesting as a sign of what has passed.
The object, which is back of every true work of art,
is the attainment of a state of being,
a high state of functioning,
a more than ordinary moment of existence.”

~ Robert Henri

More Information

To further explore the potential of the creative process, listen and subscribe to Stewart’s series of monthly podcasts. You may wish to begin with Episode 3: The Power of Not Knowing.

To find out about opportunities to participate in The Painting Experience, see our Programs.

 

Painting Our Way Through It

Painting Our Way Through It

This guest post by Suzanne Campise, MDiv, is an excerpt from a sermon she preached at the Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church in Pearl River, NY, shortly after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. In this excerpt, lightly edited for our blog, she offers a reflection on racism through the lens of the painting [...]

Process Painting Can’t Be Categorized

Process Painting Can’t Be Categorized

Stewart hosted his first fully online painting weekend earlier this month. How exciting to have people join from all over the world! Participants "arrived" from Argentina, Brazil, India, Switzerland, British Columbia, and across the United States. Even some wild time zone differences didn't stand in the way: Charlene, who signed in from India, painted though [...]

Creating a Painting Space in a Small Rental Apartment

Creating a Painting Space in a Small Rental Apartment

In today's post, Judy gives us a tour of the painting space she carved out in her small Philadelphia apartment. It's another great example of finding simple solutions to stay creatively connected while staying at home. I live in a rental. It’s a small space and I have to be careful not to get paint [...]