Artist's Way Update

So I began. Yesterday I read the first few chapters -- up through Week 1--and made my promises to myself to see it through.

This morning, I got up 30 minutes early, before the kids (who had another snow day) and wrote my morning pages and worked through some of the exercises.

Phrases from the text that struck me...

Many real artists bear children too early or have too many, are too poor or too far removed culturally or monetarily from artistic opportunity to become the artists they really are. These artists, shadow artists through no fault of their own, hear the distant piping of the dream but are unable to make their way through the cultural maze to find it. (28)

Creativity is play, but for shadow artists, learning to allow themselves to play is hard work. (29)

Our chief needs as creative beings is support. (25)

To learn more about The Artist's Way, written by Julia Cameron, visit her website. It may seem hokey, and she'll be the first to admit it, but it's a 12-week time investment of about 10 hours a week to do the necessary work of self-examination, writing, and pattern changing.