by David Dowd | Jan 5, 2023 | Artists, Creativity, Writing, Your Creative Journey
I am writing this column in the middle of a fierce winter storm. The heavy rainfall and tree limbs dancing in the strong gusts of wind perhaps mirror my mood. I hanker for solitude at this moment. I want to find the space for a little breathing room, to wander afield...
by David Dowd | Oct 5, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Writing, Your Creative Journey
There is a remarkable passage in Tim O’Brien’s book,“The things They Carried”. It is worth quoting at length. “I feel guilty sometimes. Forty-three years old and I’m still writing war stories. My daughter Kathleen tells me it’s an obsession, that I should write about...
by David Dowd | Sep 6, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Music, Writing, Your Creative Journey
This week’s posting is all about developing confidence in the work. We are reaching the end of a season and I hope that it has been productive for everyone. We will be shifting gears in a few weeks, once autumn rolls around. We will enter a more reflective place in...
by David Dowd | Aug 22, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Travel, Writing, Your Creative Journey
Find some time this week to connect with an environment that speaks to you creatively. It doesn’t have to be a museum gallery or a library, where artistic wares are housed and displayed. Save those venues for when winter weather makes such places inviting. The waning...
by David Dowd | Aug 9, 2022 | Creativity, Writing, Yoga, Your Creative Journey
August is upon us. The dog days are here. Make a last-ditch effort to wrangle some of the waning summer to read something new. I want to throw my own opinions into the mix, to offer up some insight into what I have grabbed to read over the past few months. I read...
by David Dowd | Jul 26, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Writing, Your Creative Journey
The crows protested when I let out the dogs. It was early morning – actually less than morning – still night. But this is the time when I feel the most productive – in the early morning hours before the sun lifts above the ridge line to the east. So, the dogs and I...
by David Dowd | Jul 19, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Music, Writing, Yoga
A friend gave me some valuable advice this past week. He was reading through some pages of fiction I have written over the past couple of months. He had a notable observation. My friend asked me if I had ever taken a hot yoga class. Although it has been a while, I...
by David Dowd | Jul 12, 2022 | Architecture, Artists, Creativity, Film, Music, Writing, Your Creative Journey
At the start of our creative journey together, I asked you to unearth an artistic partner for yourself. I wanted you to find a work of art within your given medium that you really responded to. I encouraged you to look at the relationship between your work and the...
by David Dowd | Jun 23, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Film, Writing, Your Creative Journey
Celebrate Summer Solstice this week! This is the half-way point on your creative journey. This is the time to congratulate yourself on your perseverance. You have been devoted to your craft. You have taken it all the way to this moment. Now let’s have some fun with...
by David Dowd | Jun 13, 2022 | Artists, Creativity, Writing
Over the past several weeks, we have been working steadily upon the creative endeavor, making inroads into our understanding of why this specific project is so important to us at this juncture in our lives. Often, we are not aware of its significance. The subconscious...
Solitude and the ArtistBut if you sit still for long enough, then something strange begins to emerge from this engagement with the mind. What was once myriad thoughts can be observed to encompass only maybe eight to ten notions that keep cycling through your awareness. read more...
What’s Your Obsession?But we desperately need new models, new and esteemed texts need to be uncovered that take us away from the terrain of war. There should be texts that speak to our moment – where our delicate equilibrium of climate is being upended daily. read more...
At the Top of the Creative MountainYour expectations shape your reality. I have had the opportunity of connecting with every one of you over the past year in one form or another, whether in person or online. I believe in your potential. Spend a few moments with yourself in a quiet space and remind yourself of why you began this project in the first place. Remember how exciting it was when you first captured its essence in your mind’s eye. read more...
Taking Art OutsideOver the years, I have established a relationship with this patch of land. I have traversed the terrain well enough to easily recall each of its inclines and slopes. I use this landscape in my meditation most every morning. read more...
Books for the Dog Days of SummerI have put together a short list of books that have been in my orbit over the past couple of months. These books have spoken to me – and you could do far worse than to pick up one of these books to read while the dog days of summer drag along, when disappearing into a different space altogether is essential to preserving your sanity. read more...
The Crow’s FeatherSo, I decided to give into their calls this morning, to reckon with what they were trying to tell me. Why were they hovering about my land – and such a specific patch of it? read more...
Intersection of Art and YogaHave the courage to stay in the room, no matter how hot it might feel. That discomfort means that you are getting at something meaningful and powerful. Let the sweat gather on your brow. read more...
The Conversation Between Two ArtistsYou may have lost the thread of this conversation over the past few months. It is time to refresh the acquaintance. You should dive a little more deeply into the dialogue, as you now have amassed considerable hours devoted to your work. How does the creative path that you have been walking down respond to aspects of the other artist’s work? read more...
Artistic ZenithJust take a moment to relax into the reality that your artistic project is seeing the light of day. You have worked hard. All the various strands of thought will coalesce, for you have already established a track record for yourself. Do something today to congratulate yourself. read more...
The Subconscious KnocksThe subconscious will attempt to claim a place at the table of our creation, clamoring for our attention. While its presence may be insightful, it can also be challenging to integrate those subconscious stirrings into our work. read more...