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Continue Painting to Silence your Inner Doubt

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At the beginning of July, I shared “Inspiring Quotes for Artists” with helpful words by famous artists, writers and designers. For the next few months I will be writing a creative reflection based on each of the eleven quotes.

I hope you find the reflections helpful – and please comment below with your own ideas, inspirations and revelations from the quotes.

Today, we begin with quote #1:

Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh

Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh

 

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced”

– Vincent Van Gogh

 

Reflection:

The hardest part of any endeavor is just getting started.

When I was facing artistic block (the visual artist’s version of writer’s block) when I was in art school, I received one of the best pieces of advice:
PAINT SOMETHING UGLY.

That was it. Paint an ugly painting!

Painting an ugly painting has many benefits:

  • It gets you started
  • It removes expectations that the artwork should be aesthetically pleasing
  • It allows you to have fun
  • It opens your mind to be free and wander as you create
  • You can explore techniques outside your comfort zone
  • And, it sets the bar so low so that when you do set out to make your next painting, you feel proud of the progress from that first messy experiment

It is easy to let self-doubt, insecurities, and fear get in the way of making the artwork you were born to create. An important part of the artist’s job is calming the inner-self, nurturing the creative spirit inside of you, and being uninhibited as you work.

What do you do to break free from artist’s block?

Have you ever tried making an ugly painting?

How do you nurture and protect your creative-self?

Best wishes to you as you make your art!

– Alexis Marie

 

 

Inspiring Quotes for Artists

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Here are eleven quotes by great minds on the topic of creativity. These words encourage me and I hope they do the same for you. Below you will find the list, but over the next few months I will take each one of these quotes and write a little reflection on life as an artist inspired by the quote. I’m looking forward to it already! For now, just soak up the words:

quotation-marks

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced” – Vincent Van Gogh

 

“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it” – Salvador Dali

 

“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people” – Leo Burnett

 

“You can’t wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club” – Jack London

 

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will” – George Bernard Shaw

 

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try” – Dr. Seuss

 

“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity” – Charles Mingus

 

“Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas” – Donatella Versace

 

“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things” – Ray Bradbury

 

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, the just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while” – Steve Jobs

 

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not’?” – George Bernard Shaw

 

 

Want to learn about Word-and-Image Relationships?

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Right now I am teaching students at Lesley University about word-and-image. It is my graduating student seminar and the culmination of both diligent research and a personal passion. We live in a visually engaged society and creative people of all kinds would do well to look into the future. Where are we headed? I believe part of that answer includes multi-genre, multi-media, and multi-medium artwork and collaborations.

If you would like to attend one of my workshops or bring them to your city or center, please email me at info@alexismariechute.com. Here is the information about my word-and-image seminar:

 The Art of Writing: Exploring Word-and-Image Pairings in Contemporary Literature

By Alexis Marie Chute

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? What happens when imagery and text combine?

In an age of visual communication, it is important for writers to reflect on the dynamic relationship between words and images. In this interactive seminar we will discuss the ways writers might capitalize on visual material to strengthen their craft. We will explore the word-image relationships in children’s books, graphic novels, hybrid novels, photograph/art books, magazines, comics, literary journals and advertisements. Through these discussions, students will learn strategies for pairing words and images, observe what works and what doesn’t, and be inspired to expand the scope of their own writing projects – whether they include visual elements or not.

Alexis Marie Chute word and image copyright workshop blog

Writers of any genre will benefit from this workshop.

Please come prepared to write and flex your creative muscles.

No artistic abilities needed.   

Get Focused, Be Productive & Tap into your Creativity through Mentorship

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Why spin your wheels in frustration, never getting anywhere in your artistic practice? Instead, receive truly helpful insight that will propel you forward faster than you could have ever imagined. Artists. Writes. Authors. Musicians. Dancers. Filmmakers. Directors. Actors. Sculptors. Curators. Gallerists. I can help you with your creative business. I am the mentor you have been looking for.

Mentorship Magic Alexis Marie Chute Artist Mentor art BLOG

I have mentored people for over a decade. I have taught them how to market themselves, how to write about their creative work, how to price their services, how to pitch their work, how to get out of the creative rut and into the groove, and how to be exceptional at their craft, business and as human beings. What a brilliant collaboration!

I grew up in a family of business people. While I am an artist through and through, I am able to see the full picture. In mentorship sessions, I (1) LISTEN, (2) BRAINSTORM with you, (3) ADVISE on how to move forward in your passions with style and purpose.

The value of this mentorship is $50/hour and we will talk by phone or skype. Email me to learn more and get started. Let’s book your first session! info@alexismariechute.com

Here is a testimonial by up-and-coming musician Evan Crawford:

“Alexis Marie gave me direction, and taught me ways of achieving my goals I didn’t know existed. She taught me how to connect with people through words and construct a more powerful self-image that people would be intrigued with. I learned how to turn my weakness into strength and how to use my strength in the right way. Before Alexis Marie’s mentoring I was running in circles, now I’m finally on the right track.

My mentoring sessions with Alexis Marie changed my view on how I was doing things. I learned that I wasn’t doing anything wrong, but there is so many more things I could be doing right. I no longer sit around and wait to be discovered, I go out into the world and make people discover me.”

Listen & follow Evan’s music on Reverbnation and visit Evan on Facebook.

 

I look forward to chatting with you!

 

 

Win Free Tickets to the Edmonton Home and Garden Show

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The Edmonton Home and Garden Show kicked off yesterday and what a fun event! I painted live and had passers-by peering over my shoulders watching the painting progress. I’m in an area called The M(art)ket with other creative folks; painters, photographers and crafters. My booth numbers are 1373 and 1474 in hall B.

Come visit me and find some art for your space!

Alexis Marie Chute artist booth Edmonton Home and Garden Show

I have tickets to give away to the Home Show and am doing a random draw from NEW WEBSITE SUBSCRIBERS FROM TODAY. So, if you want free tickets please click here and subscribe. Enter your name and email address at the bottom of my homepage. With the subscription you will receive tasteful and timely notifications of my blog posts about upcoming exhibitions and other fun artsy events and features to check out.

Subscribe today to be in the running for Edmonton Home and Garden Show tickets!  

Subscribe at the bottom of my homepage.

Also, visit me on Twitter where I’m running another competition for free tickets. My handle is @_Alexis_Marie

Alexis Marie Chute artist Edmonton Home and Garden Show

The theme of the home show is: Real Advice, Real Inspiration, Real Experts. In that line of thought, please comment below on what inspires you. For me as an artist, I find inspiration in nature, in its colours, textures and movement.

Happy Friday everyone! And good luck!

 

Edmonton Home and Garden Show:

Friday, March 20 – Noon to 9pm

Saturday, March 21 – 10am to 9pm

Sunday, March 22 – 10am to 5pm

Edmonton Expo Centre

7517-118 Avenue NW

Check out my artist business information on the home show website, click here.

I will also be offering consultations for personalized art commissions – the perfect way to get amazing art with a story behind it.

Alexis Marie Chute artist ART booth Edmonton Home and Garden Show

Exciting Updates: Unfulfilled Precognition exhibits, sales & book!

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My fine art photographic series, Unfulfilled Precognition, is drumming up lots of exciting news lately.

Artist Alexis Marie Chute Kit and Ace Photo Art The Wall 004

1.    My photograph entitled Walk to Remember was sold to a lovely and inspiring couple, Nick & Kacey Keyko. The image was on exhibit at Kit and Ace for the past three months in the Whyte Avenue store’s gallery space called The Wall.

2.    I will be having a solo exhibition of Unfulfilled Precognition in Scottsdale Arizona at Method Art Gallery, who represent my work in the region. Dates TBD.

Artist Alexis Marie Chute Kit and Ace Photo Art The Wall 003

3.    One of my current projects is designing a photography book from this series. It will also feature my creative non-fiction writing in a sweet blend of genres. Stay tuned in the next six months for further updates. It will be awesome – that’s all I can say for now.

Unfulfilled Precognition art photo book by Alexis Marie Chute artist blog

These photos are from the sale party for Walk to Remember.

Wishing you a fabulous New Year

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Happy New Year!

Wishing you love and joy for the next 365 days!

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

– Edgar Degas

Merry Christmas Creative Ones!

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Christmas reminds me of the magic of my childhood back when I believed in impossible dreams. As a kid my imagination was wild and uninhibited. Now, as 30+ year-old, I do my best to capture those qualities in my life and artistic practice because I know the amazing power they hold for the creative spirit.

This Christmas, I wish you the unlimited belief that your BIG dreams will come true and all the potential of your imagination to make them happen.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

 

To learn more about Alexis Marie Chute, read her BIO and check out her artwork:

The Quiet Rebuild – Portraits

The Quiet Rebuild – Sculptures

Unfulfilled Precognition

The Beginning of All Things

Paintings 2013-2014

Mixed Media 2006-2007

A New Kind of Beauty

Read Alexis Marie Chute’s Artist Statement and her CV. 

 

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

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Merry Christmas from Alexis Marie Writes!

Wishing you a holiday season full of love and joy! 

May all your creative efforts be blessed! 

Commission an Original Painting

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There is nothing like commissioning an original painting to stimulate the visual environment of your home or workplace.

I strongly encourage individuals and corporations to commission original art for three reasons:

  • The perfect size.

When I receive a commission, I view the space where the artwork will live before I get started. I discuss the size with my clients and make recommendations of how to best utilize the space with the goal of creating a statement piece. Then, I create artwork perfectly fitted like a tailored suit. There is no grumbling over a pre-made piece of art that is too large or too small or the wrong orientation. Commissions fit just right.

  • The perfect colour palette.

I take my cues for the colour palette from my clients and their environments. I listen to my client’s preferences and we brainstorm together as I ask guided questions. I look at the wall colour and consider whether the furniture is maple or birch, and what the space is used for. My client’s and I hash out a plan of what will both blend in and also pop out of the space. It is a fun collaborative process at this stage.

  • The perfect conversation starter.

Imagine having company over to your home or welcoming business associates into your boardroom. If the walls are bare, they will forget the room once they leave it – but if the artwork catches their eye, you may strike up an engaging conversation. Where did you get that art? Oh, it’s a commission, that’s interesting. So you worked with the artist to pick the size and colours? Was she the eccentric artistic type? Oh really, down to earth and easy to work with. Nice. I really like this section over here. Oh yeah, now that you mention it, I do see a face in those abstract drips. Boy, is that ever cool!

You may have heard that owning a one of a kind, original artwork is an investment. This is true, but it is also a fun process to be a part of; influencing the creation of something which had its inception in you. The outcome of a commission will never be exactly as you imagine during the conception stage, but that is one of the thrills of the process. The result at the end will be a surprise but one with a story that will make your artwork even more meaningful.  

To get more information about commissioning an original, please click here. Or email me at info@alexismariechute.com