Studio Construction Update

Dispatch VI, mixed media collage, by Leslie Avon Miller



The work on the studio facility continues. It is so very exciting to see the progress. It echoes in the space now. I guess walls and a ceiling will do that! We were just talking today about how to finish the floors. Someone suggested a good material if I didn’t get too much water on the floor…I work in water media and boy, do I ever get water on the floor….back to the drawing board.

On the art front, my collages for the International Collage exchange have arrived in New Zealand. As I write this 94 artists are taking part. If you would like to see all of my collage for the exchange, you can find them at this link. When the work from all of the participating artists is posted, I’ll provide a link. It is a great online exhibition reflecting the state of collage art today.



Earlier this week I held a creativity teleclass. We discussed that being compelled to create is just the opposite of a creative block. We talked about the passion for creating our work, which can make the world disappear. In support of our creative passion we identified some means of dispelling our inner critical voice.

Passion pulls us towards something we can not resist. What is pulling you forward?

Because of the creativity call I am getting to know even more artists, some of whom are joining the creative coaching group, Re-Fresh Your Creative Practice currently forming. Some deeply committed and powerful artists are taking part in the group which begins March 23rd.

If you want to join us, or want to know more about the group agenda, send me an email to coach leslie @ olypen.com (remove the spaces).

Wishing all of us a creative weekend!

Studio Update and Artist's First Aid Kit

As I work with creative people and artists I find that many of us face similar challenges when it comes to creating our art. One challenge often mentioned is negative self-talk. You know, that little voice of doubt, or that bigger voice that says - well you know what it says.



Nearly every artist can benefit from an artist's first aid kit, starting with a tool to dispel those thoughts, and turn them around into honest appraisals of where we are now and where we want to go.



I used this tool myself just yesterday when I painted in my temporary studio for the first time. "I can't paint in there" I said to myself. "It's too cold, and it's too dark."...I turned those thoughts around. It worked!



I got past my own negative self-talk and remembered how much I love being an artist. It wasn't long before I was deep into the paint and enjoying the process of working on small studies for my next series. The time just flew by, and I never even noticed that I was in our garage. Oh, how I love to paint!




If you would like to learn a simple tool for getting those thoughts out of your way so you can create to your hearts content, then the complementary teleclass happening this Tuesday at (4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern) may be just the ticket for you. If you can't attend live, I will send you a recording if you sign up for the event.

If you are curious about creativity coaching for artists and creative people, or you just want to know the tool for quieting your inner critic, then send me an email to coach leslie @ olypen.com (remove the spaces) and I will send you the details about participating in this complementary event. It's my gift to you. We will have some laughter and some insight. It's going to be fun!



Meanwhile, this week two very competent individuals, my husband and his son, will spend the entire week hanging the walls and ceiling of the new studio and wood working shop.

If they get that done, they will proceed with more work on the building. I am soooo excited!