Getting into the creative groove

For my Own Amusement

Emerging Series

30 x 40 x 1 1/2" Acrylics, Mixed Media,& Sand

on canvas

Original and Prints Available (c) Deb Chaney 2008

inquiries: info@debchaney.com

Feng Shui Recommendation: This painting support your career and lifepath.

To further enhance the journey of your life and work, place this painting near the entrance of your home or office.

Recently, I was speaking with one of my studio mates about getting back into our creative groove when we’ve been away from our work for a while.

Rodja was saying that she’d been out of the studio for three weeks plus, taking a natural break after having just shipped a bunch of paintings to her gallery in Toronto. As well, she also has a graphic design business and works as a culinary chef so her mind and being are not always focused on painting. She has to switch. That means when she gets to her studio, getting her mind into painting mode and sometimes that takes some time.

Similarly, for me, as we all do, I balance a full life with my art. Being a mom to my six year old, having a part time job, and all other details life entails. So even though I dedicate a full day to paint, each week, every Tuesday, there is still a process I go through to get into the work, into that groove

Here are a few things that work for me, specifically on days when the little voice in my head doesn’t want to be at the studio, doesn’t feel like painting, it literally wants to tell me to give up, go home and why life sucks and why I should not bother, on and on the little voice goes…

Lately, I start out in my beach chair, heater pumping next to me and I read and look at inspirational books such as 1,000 Artist Trading Cards or Sabrina Ward Harrison books.

I make a lot of tea – lately my favourite is orange roibois from the Granville Island tea company, (although the green blueberry is awesome too and I would really recommend the African Roibois Cream). Some days I will have a little nap. Last Tuesday I think I had about six cups before I got into painting. Serious tea drinking may get the creative juices flowing.

A few weeks prior I went for a walk and strolled through the artist studios at 1000 Parker Way ( they are part of the east end culture crawl every year). The walk was great – walking is linked to stimulating the brain waves in your brain that enduce creativity, but checking out other artist’s studios topped off the walk ten fold. Its then that the little voice realizes she was wrong. A new voice begins to pipe up...If they can do it , so Can I. Wow, look at what he’s working on. Look she got painting this morning, maybe I could put a glaze on that painting I've been so stuck on for a while....and so the insp iration kicks in.

Very often I write in my journal, as I see my other studio room mate Heather Craig do. In this way she quietly inspires me. Yup good old morning pages to work through all that mind gunk. I like to write lists. Wish lists. Things I’m happy about. Things I am not happy about. Last week it was everything I hate. Everything that was annoying, irritating, and pissing me off. Yuck lists. Feels good to get it out . That works too. After that I finally started painting!

Music can be good too and dancing but lately I’ve been riding my bike to the studio and the beach chair calls and I plop down and get into my creative groove in comfort!

The other day I was so exhausted from, well life, that I just sat comatozed in my good old beach chair and ate Miss. Vicky’s salt and vinegar chips. That and drank tea, of course! Those chips seem to have magical powers. Try it next time, let me know if they work for you. Definitly recommend the salt and vinegar flavour. Yum.

Other quick ideas to get started...

• Deep breaths, let it be if you’re not feeling the creative “love”
• Go for a walk
• Look at what you’ve already done
• Put aside work that is too intimadating to start - this worked wonders a few weeks ago when I felt overwhelmed with a commission piece I’m working on
• Do some small practice doodles and pieces, let yourself make some crap art.
• Go to a free demonstration (If you're in Vancouver, OPUS has them on a regular basis)
• Look at other artists work - magazines, galleries, internet

It takes a risk to show up and do your art work. I like this quote “ And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything “ Eric Jong.

There is some quote out here about 90% of success is showing up. So kudus to us for showing up. Let's give ourselves gold stars for showing up ( even if we sit by the heater and eat potato chips!)

First day at my new studio!

Some shots I took today after unloading and setting up the tables and artwork in my new studio in Old Foundry Building in Vancouver. I love the space and spent most of the day nesting in and then got inspired and started painting. Enjoy the pictures.

Goals for 2010

2010 Goals. I have been setting goals now for over 10 years and often, although it is a little scary putting out 'there' posting as personal as this to the world, it motivates me to keep my commitments. So, that said, here it is, what is important for me to create, enjoy, do, and become in this new year - 2010. Deb.

Art Career

Have the www.debchaney.com website up and running -- Jan 25, 2010, it's up!

Have a studio and go there on a regular basis – create a working studio schedule --- YES!

Finish the commission painting I was asked to do and present 3 options to the client

Teach an art class – VSB or Vancouver Community Centers --- curriculum submitted...

Get my artwork out on exhibit in Vancouver -- am applying to the East end Culture Crawl for 2010. yesssss!!!

Illuminate the Artist Within™ (ITAW)

• Product development- Complete and publish Creativity Cards, ideas, tricks and secrets to ignite and support creativity. ---- 3 rounds of editing done, now in design phase Jan 30, 2010. Mock up cards, round one, complete (Feb 2010)
• Create vision board on foam core for the ultimate concept of ITAW– teaching, speaking, retreats, products

Give a public information talk about the benefits of creativity and being in creative process at a local library or other public venue.

Look over what I've completed and the requirements for my Kaizen Muse Creativity Coaching Certification and talk to Jill Badonsky about finishing this up.

Try something new in art making – silkscreening? guitar playing? --- went to a block printing demo.

Fitness/Health

Do a yoga class at least once a week and research a yoga instructor class.

Hike, beach walk, swim, regularly. -- been riding my bike to work

Stretch and do basic yoga and muscle toning daily in the morning! Yes!

Personal Growth/spirit

Do the FORUM landmark weekend seminar - copmleted Jan 2010. Just signed up for Advanced Course, with my Dad!

Look into Vancouver Toastmasters groups to begin to practice speaking in public with the vision of becoming comfortable public speaking.

Do the 7 laws of spiritual success for children with Ruthie (for kids) Deepak Chopra’s book, lay out a daily plan

Friendships

Grow and meet more friends and have a circle here in Vancouver

Deep gratitude for friends I have now, both new and old

Love myself more and more, no matter what, every day.

Have the confidence to be myself completely with no concern as to what others may think or judge, act as if I’ve already died, life fully

Family

Find peace in my relationship with my parents.

Be firm and loving with Ruthie.

Recreation

Be active and meditative in nature on a regular basis both alone and with friends….

Snowshoeing

Hiking

Swimming

Yoga

Art openings

Plays and movies

Make jewelry

Try something new – dodge ball?

Finances

Meet with Leyla’s husband, make a budget, and look at it vs my spending monthly - Met with Leyla and Joe Last Saturday and talked about setting up an auto savings account, now I gotto go and set it up ! (Feb 2010)

Save $ on every pay check, - set up auto transfer to savings

Save regularly for retirement

Continue learning about money and investing

If you made it this far and are inspired to do your own goals (yes!) Here is a wonderful tool many life coaches use with their clients to check you are hitting all areas of your life. Often called the wheel of life:

Homemade wrapping paper with potato stamps

Ruthie and I got adventurous this past week and decided to make our own wrapping paper. I can't take complete credit for the idea as it all started with a conversation with a co-worker in the staff room on a break. (thank for this great idea Amanda!) Needless to say the idea of cutting up potatoes to make stamps sounded fun and easy so here's Ruthie's wrapping paper creations.

Basic instructions for those of you who are inspired and want to do this at home. Hey, you don't need kids to do this! Get some raw potatoes. Cut them in half and carve in the shapes you want to see printed on your paper. We carved stars, a christmas tree, a bell, holly leaves and whatever else you see in the pictures. We used cheap white paper - the kind you get on a roll. For paints we used acrylics: napthol red ( made great candy cane image), phthalo green (holly leaves looked awesome), and irredescent gold (really nice for stars) (The paints were all Golden fluid acrylics). Totally fun!

8 week Energizing Abstract Painting Class - Vancouver Spring 2010

Today is the deadline for submitting spring class proposals fro the Vancouver School Board. My dear friend Shannon went through this with me and gave me some great edits and feedback - thank you Shan, you rock! Here's the application. What a process of getting clear! Fingers crossed it'll be accepted, but if not, rest assured I will find a way to share my knowledge and passion with others! xoxox Deb

Proposed class:

Energizing and Experimental Abstract

Painting in Acrylics

Course Description:

“An energizing and experimental painting class in acrylics, mixed media, & collage for adults”

This is energizing and informative abstract painting class with an emphasis on experimentation & creative process. Students will learn the fundamentals of abstract painting. Building on this foundation, each class will progressively introduce new techniques such as glazing, layering, removal, staining, lifting & layering in of collage elements all to achieve line, depth, texture & interest in their paintings. We will be using liquid and heavy body acrylics, as well as acrylic mediums & gels, and collage elements.

Course Outline – 8 weeks

Week 1 – The Basics.

• Materials list discussion and clarification, bring what you have.
• Discussion of acrylic paints and mediums, substrates, and implements – brushes, palette knives, etc.
• Health and safety about acrylics –basic need to know.
• Nesting in and how to best set up your work space . The concept of bridging to support you and your art making.
• Group discussion of personal class goals and what students most want to learn/get out of this class
• Students may bring one painting to work on throughout the class or practice on several smaller paintings (strongly suggested – I will explain why)
• All students are asked to bring a journal or note paper for note taking

Week 2 – The Art of Start.

• Basics for abstract painting.
• Design & composition discussion. 12 basic compositions.
• Paint and play – start with black and white, students work on fundamental concepts of composition and design.

Week 3 – Staining and Glazing with liquid acrylics.

• Colour Basics. Historical /mineral colours vs. modern colours. Analogous,
• Adding layers by staining and/or glazing liquid fluid acrylics (matte medium) to add depth and interest into your work.
• Color combinations. Triad colour combinations that produce stunning effects.
• Play and practice these concepts of layering using the basic principles of making an abstract painting. Students are encouraged to begin adding colour to their black and white work and playing with glazing and staining.

Week 4 – Focal points - Adding lines and definition

• Removal Techniques: 5 various papers, rubber shaper, water, alchohol, SOS pad
• Artist safe removal tape, rulers, Stenciling with heavy acrylics and spray paint.
• Derwent Pencils, C’aran dash crayons, using gesso as lines.

Week 5 –Words and Images.

· Incorporating words and images into your work.

· Stamping – purchased and home made stamps.

· Transfer technique of photographic image with gloss medium.

· Paint and play - applying any techniques taught up to this point to your work.

Week 6 – Texture and Collage

• Building interesting texture into your painting using Collage – photocopies, tissue paper, other decorative papers.
• Heavy gel mediums, moulding paste, gloss medium, creating thick wax-like effects.

Week 7 – How to know if you’re done.

• Tricks and tools to finishing a painting, how to know when you’re done or what to change/improve. Do your own critique – yes you can.
• What makes a great abstract painting work.
• Going back on your class work and applying finishing techniques taught here to take the piece to closer to a completed piece.

Week 8 – Making art part of your life.

• Where can you go from here? Exhibiting, selling your work, selling rights
• Resources for further exploration and growth in art and creativity
• 5 top things that stop artists in their tracks and how to overcome them.
• Feedback sheet

Supplies/room arrangement

Each student requires a full table space to work. Tables will be covered in plastic sheet or plastic table cloth/covering. A materials list will be provided and explained in detail on the first class. All students are encouraged to bring what supplies they have already to the first class.

About the Art Instructor - Deb Chaney, SCA

Deb Chaney is a contemporary abstract artist painting large layered mixed media abstract works on canvas and paper. She has been painting in acrylics and mixed media for 10 years and has sold paintings in Canada and the U.S. and is currently exhibited in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Santa Barbara, California. She is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists. Her passion is painting and inspiring others to find their creative groove. The author of The Little Inspiration Book, Ideas to Empower Women and contributing author of Sand in my Bra, Funny Women Write from the Road, Her portfolio can be viewed at www.debchaney.com .

Deb Chaney - Relevant Education and Training

2008 Sabrina Ward Harrison, Spilling. Carol Parks Studio, Los Angeles, CA

2008 Dr. Robert Maurer and Jill Badonsky, Kaizen Muse Creativity Coaching Training.

2007 Lana Grow, Aquamedia & Collage: Peninsula Art School, WI.

2007 Nancy Reyner, Encaustics Effects with Acrylic. Santa Barbara, CA

2007 Independent Study, Kanuga Water Color Retreat, Asheville, N. Carolina

2007 Ann Baldwin, Painting and Collage, Santa Barbara, CA

2007 Jill Badonsky, Muse Facilitator Workshop, San Francisco, CA

2006 Bob Burridge, Basics in Abstract Acrylic Painting, Burbank, CA

2002-2006 Adolfo Girala; Personal Instruction in Mixed Media and Acrylics
2005 Rick Stitch; Abstract Painting, Santa Barbara City College Adult Ed
2005 Karen Browdy; Collage and Mixed Media, Santa Barbara City College Adult Ed

2002 Introduction to Watercolors, El Camino College Community Education
1998 Ron Mulvey; Beginning Acrylic Painting, Nelson, BC, Canada.

Eating your ultimate dream for breakfast, anyone?

Hand painted breakfast bowl. Don’t know dimensions.

Not for sale. Used every morning for breakfast with oatmeal, etc.

Eating your ultimate dream for breakfast, anyone? And no, I’m not selling you a breakfast cereal, its all about the bowl…read on.

We all have dreams. Some of them big. Some small. They propel us. They motivate us. They may sometimes confuse and frustrate us. Right or wrong, good or bad, I’ve got a big dream and I sure hope you do too. What’s life without one?

Bottom line is you’re not just here to do your 9-5 and you know it. There is always some underlying magical purpose or reason we are here…Part of your reason for being here is to figure that out – your purpose – who you really are beyond the conditioned self and outward appearances. And the other part of your journey is sharing that unique talent and piece of yourself with the rest of the world, giving the gift you were meant to give.

[We’re here to give it all away ‘cause you can’t take anything with you once you leave this plane of existence. And so we learn as we give that the more we give the more we truly receive. That the saying that we only keep what we give away becomes true.]

So, you’re wondering, what is this big dream of Deb’s. We’ll, its simple. I have a concept called Illuminate the Artist Within ™ whereby I’d like to create a workshop retreats and products to ignite, inspire, and empower participants to realize the artist within themselves. I believe we are all artist in our own realms – we’re all here creating our own lives, our own personal masterpieces. The concept is not crystal yet, but I am trusting the evolution of the idea.

Ok, so you’re wondering what does this have to do with the darn bowl?

The other day I went out on a rainy Saturday afternoon with my six year old girl and took her to a place where you buy an unfinished piece of pottery and paint it. She chose a beautiful fairy maiden. I chose a bowl. While she worked away painting her fairy, I thought about creating a bowl that would summarize Illuminate the Artist Within ™ and what is meant to me, what I wanted it to encompass, and I stopped there. Its too big, there are too many possibilities at this point in time and it would be hard to pin it down and somehow illustrate it on a bowl.

So, I asked myself the question: Who would I have to become to create this vision, this company, these workshop retreats, teaching videos, creative products? What characteristics would I need to embody to be the founder of Illuminate the Artist Within™ ? And from that the words came and I painted them on the bowl:

I would need to be/have the qualities of : INTELLIGENCE, WILLINGNESS, LOVE, RESOURCEFULNESS, PATIENCE, TRUST, COURAGE, LEADERSHIP, PERSERVERANCE, FAITH & CREATIVITY.

What are my next steps? I’m going to apply to teach an energizing water media abstract painting class through the Vancouver School Board adult night school program. Application is December 15^th. I’ve got a friend here in town who has promised to review my proposal. I’m also going to be leading a Vein of Gold (Julia Cameron’s sequel to the Artist Way) online class starting in January…this will get posted on the new website shortly. Two steps to get leadership and teaching experience and to begin to fortify my dream.

Here is my question for you dear reader. Who do you need to become to realize your dream? What qualities must you embody to make your dream a reality? Take a moment and write those down. Not sure of your dream, if you even have one...ahhh…you’ve come to the right place – join me in January as I facilitate the Vein of Gold – Journey into your creative heart. Your dream and more will surely emerge from this process. Check at www.debchaney.com for this online workshop details.

The journey continues! Stay posted!

Art and Money - taking care of business

XOXOXO

Pure Abstraction Series

36 x 36 x 3/4 "

Mixed media, acrylics, sand, & oil on canvas

© Deb Chaney 2009

Original Available

Feng Shui Recommendation: Placed anywhere in your home/office this painting image supports children and creativity. To further enhance your possibility of having children or to support existing children – including your inner child – place this piece in the center right hand portion of your room or house. Please refer to the Feng Shui section at www.chaney.com (coming soon) for more details.

(PS the photo image displayed here is pretty crap as I took it on my iphone. Sit tight. I'll have a better photo at some point. & will put on the new up and coming website -yeeehaaaa!!! :))

A month or so ago I took a tour of Emily Carr University to get a sense of the place and art school itself, as I’ve never been to art school.. I thought it was interesting when we passed the Finance Offices that the tour guide, a student at the University, comments were; “Oh money, that’s boring, moving on.”

Well, perhaps Daddy’s paying her way through art school or she got a big grant but for those of us who are in a situation of having to be accountable for our finances - make art and money work- well it might be challenging, but its certainly not boring.

Something I’ve been doing for a year or more now that really works for me in this arena, is what I call “Monday is Money Management Day”. It’s a regular thing that every Monday I pay attention to my finances and improve in some way. This includes but is not limited to the following activities:

• Reconciling my hand written register against the paper bank statement. (Yes, in order to do this I do keep track of every expense in paper register). The great thing about this is it gives me a sense of where my money is going to, coming in from and more often that I’d hope, I catch bank errors or false credit card charges.
• Filing all paperwork concerning finances. I have a big binder for my personal and art business related finances. In each binder or dividers for paperwork ranging from bank statements, to income receipts, to anything at all related to finances for the year of the binder. I make a new binder each year.
• Paying bills, credit cards – this one’s obvious. But I keep all of my outstanding bills in a folder and do them on my Money Management Day so I’m not doing this all the time, just Mondays.
• Taking care of tax and money related things – forms, sales tax.

As well as the weekly management tasks something that I do as part of being a financially empowered person, artist, woman, and mother is to take small steps in further educating myself about money – money management, investing, and taxes. It doesn’t matter what I’m learning as long as its up to date, relevant and helping me to grow and become more empowered in my finances. Here are some resources I’ve explored or am currently in process listening/watching/reading...

• Monday Drunk/Money Sober By Julia Cameron and Mark Bryant
• Currently I’ve been listening to Suze Orman: Women and Money when I walk with my I pod – two I one exercise and education!
• For you or for the kids? RRSP v RESP The Province newspaper financial section article about retirement (www.theprovince.com) Nov. 19.09 article.
• The Ascent of money TV program with Niall Fergason.
• Millionaire Mind weekend seminar with Peak Potentials Training
• Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kyosaki

Sometimes I don’t get to everything on my list done if that Monday is particular busy day. No worries. Friday is “Follow Up Friday”. So I slot it for Friday and finish up the loose ends.