Perfectionism is not a quest for the best.  It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough-that we should try again.  Julia Cameron, Artist's Way

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Being a teacher, and especially an art teacher, teaches you a lot about human behavior.  In a classroom with hundreds of students a week, I would see every learning style and emotional approach possible to a lesson.  Some people are quick, and make their best effort and then that is it for them, others are slow and methodical thinking out and puzzling along the way, and others will stare at a blank piece of paper unable to make a mark because they have failed in their mind before they had even started.  All artist and all learners have obstacles and self sabotage techniques we employ.  Some come from childhood, some due to a fear of success, and some because we just can't ever feel good enough about ourselves. Julia Cameron speaks to that in all her books.  She, herself, is a writer, but she speaks in a way that is applicable to all artists.  I highly recommend all of her books.  I have found areas that I sabotage myself that I was not even aware of, but most evident when I really looked at myself.  I can be the grand procrastinator, thinking I will get to it, and then time and time goes by and I haven't.  Read her books and you many find your own obstacles to success.  
Perfectionism is possibly one of the worst obstacles we throw in our way because it requires us to always feel we are never good enough, never acceptable unless everything is absolutely perfect.  It is the flaws, the imperfection that allow growth and make us more human.  In the Middle East kilim weavers will always have an area called an abash...it is an area that is not perfect, so we know it is real, not machine made.  It actually can make a carpet more valuable. We should all have an abash to prove to ourselves we are not robots, we are capable of growth and can accept something less that perfect.  It is in our imperfection we find our humanity and our greatness.

TRUSTING THE CREATIVE PROCESS

The Creative process is a surrender not a control.
Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

Gaudi            Photo by Elizabeth Gordon

I cannot tell you how many times as a teacher and as an artist this advice comes into play.  Elementary students were wonderful at being creative in Kindergarten and first grade, but not long after came the x out's and doubt.  Adult students are even much worse, the fear and self doubt of doing art is so great, it causes intense anxiety for many people.  Even practiced artists that have been trained to strictly face periods of not letting go and their work becomes stale and staid.  It is almost like being in a zone, like runners get, a meditative state where one consciously lets go and and goes with the flow without doubt and judgement of ones work...it is hard to explain to students and other beginning artists.  And it is equally hard to tell people who want to do art, that until they do relinquish that control, their art will not achieve what aspire to.  There is a trusting of self and something beyonds ones self that is an unknown factor...but trust one must, and then the whole creative process just flows.  It is kind of like a free dive from a high dive, one jumps and trusts the water is below.  But it is not as scary as it seems, it is actually enjoyable once one learns the process...beyond enjoyable really...addictive and exciting and strangely peaceful.  Dive, you will flow....

Julia Cameron on Attention and Creativity

Julia Cameron on Creativity and artists blocks

photo by elizabeth gordon

photo by elizabeth gordon

photo by elizabeth gordon

photo by elizabeth gordon

 "People frequently believe the creative life is grounded in fantasy.  The more difficult truth is creativity is grounded in reality, in particular the focused, the well observed, or the specifically imagined.  Very often a creative block manifest itself as an addiction to fantasy or to "worry".  Rather than working or living in the now, we spin our wheels and indulge of could have.  One of the greatest misconceptions of the artist life is that involves great swathes of aimlessness of attention.  Attention is a way to connect and heal.  ...More than anything attention is an act of connection.  Our focused attention is critical to filling the well.  We need to encounter our life experience, not ignore them. "
I could quote her whole book on Inspirations from the Artists Way, but lets start with these thoughts.  
I watched this little wren build her nest with such skill and determination I could not but help admire her work.  This sign Scriptura is in a shopping strip mall in Metairie/New Orleans area this summer.  She collected bits of brightly colored string and mardi gras beads and sticks and leaves....neatly tucking them around and into the giant advertising lettering above the store.  She was relentless, trip after trip until she had a work of art.  Her attention was direct and clear...she had a purpose to achieve with skill and love...simple, direct, and an act of complete attention to a simple act.  I watched for a hour or so with great amazement.  If we were to learn to do this in our lives and art...what peace, what love, what success we would have.

SERIOUS ART IS BORN FROM SERIOUS PLAY 

Julia Cameron/The Artists Way

Photo by Elizabeth Gordon/New Orleans 

Perfectionism in Art Continued....

To the perfectionist there is always room for improvement. The perfectionist calls this humility. In reality it is egotism. It is pride that makes us want to write the perfect script, paint a perfect painting, perform a perfect monologue. Perfectionism is not the quest for the best. It is a pursuit for worst of ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will be good enough-that we should try again. No, we should not.

Quote by Julia Cameron/Inspirations/Meditations from the Artists Way