Pema Chodrun eloquently spoke of three primary teachings found in Tibetan Buddhism. Even though I am only mildly familiar with the basic tenants of Buddhism, oddly, the primary points she was making I innately understood already. I was familiar – not because I have studied or practiced Buddhism – but because I have spent most of my life making Art. Again, a similar curriculum.
I thought the ideas she presented were so potent, so applicable to not just life but especially to the practice of making Art that I thought I would share them here.
There are three, but the first one is a doozer:
“We Already Have Everything We Need”
In ArtLife Workshops I am always trying to communicate this crucial idea to those who are tentatively sitting upon the sidelines instead of beginning their own art practice. In many instances in life, in the business world especially, there is great currency put on having credentials, advanced degrees and most importantly prior experience. This is true for almost anything new we would like to pursue.
Unfortunately, the need to have expertise, to have extensive training before we can participate often discourages our curiosity. This, however, is not the case for Art. Anyone who has the desire and the curiosity to embark upon making Art can. The only qualification for making Art is life experience. And all of us, without exception, are amply filled with this already.
“Start Where You Are”
Right here, right now is a good place to start. A meditation practice is not about later; an art practice is not either. The sublime beauty of both is quietly waiting right now. In the present. Once begun, both can teach us, remind us, to pay more attention to what is happening at this very moment.
[Tweet “”The answers are held in the difficulty.” – Nicholas Wilton”]
Almost without exception, when I go into my studio to begin making Art, I do not know or feel particularly confident about what I will do. I used to put off organizing my life around a regular practice of art making, thinking that I did not know enough information, or that one day in the future I would be more prepared. And then I realized that day most likely would never come. So I just began where I was, with the little bit of information I had gleaned along the way. And I just began. I realize now, years later, that the most important decision of all that I was struggling with was that I decided to start.
“Move Toward Difficulty”
We are taught from an early age to avoid difficulty. This makes sense of course, but in time we realize this is not possible. Difficulty seems to come anyway. I used to strive for a seamless, beginning middle and happy ending in all I did, especially my Art. However, this too is impossible. And thankfully so.
My Art practice has showed me the folly of trying to avoid something in a painting that I am unsure about. In trying to avoid it, by painting around something to not interact with it, I only seem to make it more noticeable. Have you ever noticed this? It drives me crazy. The very thing I don’t want to deal with ends up sticking out like a sore thumb the more I ignore it. Peculiarly, it is the difficult thing that needs to be directly worked upon. This is, at least in my experience of making art, exactly where the lessons, the transformation – not just for your Art, but more importantly for your thinking – are waiting. The answers are held in the difficulty. This is a lesson I relearn again and again, not just in my Art but in my Life as well.
Sometimes I wonder if the reason we are driven to make Art is just to learn who we are or who we are becoming. It is, thankfully, not easily answered. It takes time. In fact, it takes a lifetime.
What ideas or concepts inform your art practice?
In gratitude, Nicholas
25 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
Where there are one thousand human beings, within one thousand ways of living, one thousand buddhas are revealed. Buddha is revealed through mountains, valleys, trees, and grasses, through a multitude of phenomena. The heart that can be revered in whatever form we see, in whatever direction we look, this is the true heart of Buddhism, this is Buddha life.
– Soko Morinaga Roshi, “One Chance, One Encounter”
Thank you for that–really nice.
Where there are one thousand human beings, within one thousand ways of living, one thousand buddhas are revealed. Buddha is revealed through mountains, valleys, trees, and grasses, through a multitude of phenomena. The heart that can be revered in whatever form we see, in whatever direction we look, this is the true heart of Buddhism, this is Buddha life.
– Soko Morinaga Roshi, “One Chance, One Encounter”
Thank you for that–really nice.
Where there are one thousand human beings, within one thousand ways of living, one thousand buddhas are revealed. Buddha is revealed through mountains, valleys, trees, and grasses, through a multitude of phenomena. The heart that can be revered in whatever form we see, in whatever direction we look, this is the true heart of Buddhism, this is Buddha life.
– Soko Morinaga Roshi, “One Chance, One Encounter”
Thank you for that–really nice.
Beautiful post. I regard painting as a very spiritual practice thus something not to be taken lightly, therefore it’s really not surprising that you mentioned you somehow innately already embrace the three Buddhism values.
What have helped me the most in my personal painting sessions are these two : “I am exactly where I need to be”, and “Embrace the uncertainty”. I believe what you shared above are somehow also partially reflected in those two :).
Yes, absolutely. Embrace is such a perfect word…neither grabbing nor ignoring…kind of in between.
Beautiful post. I regard painting as a very spiritual practice thus something not to be taken lightly, therefore it’s really not surprising that you mentioned you somehow innately already embrace the three Buddhism values.
What have helped me the most in my personal painting sessions are these two : “I am exactly where I need to be”, and “Embrace the uncertainty”. I believe what you shared above are somehow also partially reflected in those two :).
Yes, absolutely. Embrace is such a perfect word…neither grabbing nor ignoring…kind of in between.
Beautiful post. I regard painting as a very spiritual practice thus something not to be taken lightly, therefore it’s really not surprising that you mentioned you somehow innately already embrace the three Buddhism values.
What have helped me the most in my personal painting sessions are these two : “I am exactly where I need to be”, and “Embrace the uncertainty”. I believe what you shared above are somehow also partially reflected in those two :).
Yes, absolutely. Embrace is such a perfect word…neither grabbing nor ignoring…kind of in between.
My art is music, but the principals you so beautifully offer apply to any creative endeavor in one’s life. So I read each posting, and it brings me courage and appreciation for your gifts of visual and explanative pathways thru closed doors. Thank you Nick. Adele
Ahhhhh- So nice to see and hear your voice here. welcome.
And yes painting, art making is the same as music..I now listen to music always in headphones as I make my art. It sets the tone for what I am trying to do and often gives me that little push to go further when the right song comes on… Your singing is your Art. That would be hard for me as I couldn’t see anything to get inspired from–kind of scares me!
My art is music, but the principals you so beautifully offer apply to any creative endeavor in one’s life. So I read each posting, and it brings me courage and appreciation for your gifts of visual and explanative pathways thru closed doors. Thank you Nick. Adele
Ahhhhh- So nice to see and hear your voice here. welcome.
And yes painting, art making is the same as music..I now listen to music always in headphones as I make my art. It sets the tone for what I am trying to do and often gives me that little push to go further when the right song comes on… Your singing is your Art. That would be hard for me as I couldn’t see anything to get inspired from–kind of scares me!
My art is music, but the principals you so beautifully offer apply to any creative endeavor in one’s life. So I read each posting, and it brings me courage and appreciation for your gifts of visual and explanative pathways thru closed doors. Thank you Nick. Adele
Ahhhhh- So nice to see and hear your voice here. welcome.
And yes painting, art making is the same as music..I now listen to music always in headphones as I make my art. It sets the tone for what I am trying to do and often gives me that little push to go further when the right song comes on… Your singing is your Art. That would be hard for me as I couldn’t see anything to get inspired from–kind of scares me!
I met an artist that is extremely gifted. In meeting him I focused so much on where he was at that point in his career that could not see myself ever making it to that point. The experience was intimidating. To this day I try to see that only difference between the two of us was the experience. If that makes any sense. Love the article.
I met an artist that is extremely gifted. In meeting him I focused so much on where he was at that point in his career that could not see myself ever making it to that point. The experience was intimidating. To this day I try to see that only difference between the two of us was the experience. If that makes any sense. Love the article.
“What is required of us is that we love the difficult and learn to deal with it. In the difficult are the friendly forces, the hands that work on us. Right in the difficult we must have our joys, our happiness, our dreams: there against the depth of this background, they stand out, there for the first time we see how beautiful they are. ” Rainer Maria Rilke
“What is required of us is that we love the difficult and learn to deal with it. In the difficult are the friendly forces, the hands that work on us. Right in the difficult we must have our joys, our happiness, our dreams: there against the depth of this background, they stand out, there for the first time we see how beautiful they are. ” Rainer Maria Rilke
Love you article! It is so true for me! That is why I love painting and making art. I am so in the moment and experience it and myself through the interaction with colors, painting, shapes, the wood I paint on. You are so right about meeting the difficulty, the challenge. Mine is still to paint like myself, instead of being too influenced by others.
Love you article! It is so true for me! That is why I love painting and making art. I am so in the moment and experience it and myself through the interaction with colors, painting, shapes, the wood I paint on. You are so right about meeting the difficulty, the challenge. Mine is still to paint like myself, instead of being too influenced by others.
Wow. Great observations… I love Pema Chodron, she’s gotten me through hard times. My first introduction was “When Things Fall Apart”. Your analogies are so apropos . Sometimes I say a similar thing to myself…”just paint through the ugly stage”. Basically just do it, just keep going and you will find out where your going.