by David Dowd | Apr 27, 2021 | Artists, Creativity, Writing
Be wary of thinking that you have to approach the creative endeavor with a factory-like doggedness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Do not trust artists who say that they pick up the pen or the brush at exactly 8:15 every morning and then lay it down eight...
by David Dowd | Apr 20, 2021 | Artists, Creativity, Writing
Anne Lamott says that she often resorts to bribery to get through her day. In a recent radio interview, she confided that she often bargains with herself. If she just writes one more passage, then she can reward herself with watching a half an hour of MSNBC. Sometimes...
by David Dowd | Apr 13, 2021 | Artists, Creativity, Writing
We were sitting in the muted light from the lanterns on the walls. The scent of incense hung in the air. Each of us had been sitting in the same cross-legged position on the wooden floor for a good many hours, and it wasn’t even dusk yet. We were on day seven of a...
by David Dowd | Apr 6, 2021 | Artists, Creativity, Writing
Listen to the same song at the beginning of each daily practice. This anchors the process. Honor your creative space. Treat it as something sacred. Is there a way to bring a spiritual touchstone into the space? Quickly name the first two objects that come to mind....
by David Dowd | Mar 30, 2021 | Creativity, Writing
Elizabeth Gilbert uses a specific strategy when working on a project: she settles upon one of her close friends as the intended reader of her work. For each project, she selects a different friend, someone whose unique personality somehow fits with the topic or could...
by David Dowd | Mar 23, 2021 | Creativity, Travel, Writing
In Buddhist thought, there is the notion of a “beginner’s mind.” This is the value of approaching any given action from a fresh and new perspective, no matter how many times one has performed the task. Let’s say you have never washed dishes before. Aren’t those suds...
by David Dowd | Mar 16, 2021 | Artists, Creativity
I stumbled upon an observation. I don’t know where it came from. I was having lunch at a local spot with a dear friend – she is beautiful, expansive and full of wisdom herself. She is a talented painter. I related to her a thought that just came to me — that...
by David Dowd | Mar 9, 2021 | Creativity, Film
There was an intimidating figure in film school at NYU, when I was enrolled. He was our directing instructor. He hailed from Moscow, where he had taught at the film school there, the most revered school at the time in the world. He cut a domineering presence, with his...
by David Dowd | Mar 2, 2021 | Artists, Creativity, Writing
Carl Jung was writing to his friend about “The Red Book,” a record of his mystical journeying. He mentioned that its contents would be viewed as pure madness if they were not contained within an appropriate worldview that could make sense of it. The book had to have a...
by David Dowd | Feb 23, 2021 | Creativity, Music
So things stall a bit, when we get all too serious. The expectation of producing something beautiful gets to be too much. There has to be a way to reorganize our energies somehow. I have come to really appreciate and value hobbies as an integral part of my creative...
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...