A million dollars

If my life were perfect, I would be living out my dreams on a daily basis. Things I would do if I had unlimited time and money:

• raise chickens
• bake things for neighbors
• make most of my own clothes (and maybe even try to design a few myself)
• paint, while trying new processes like screen printing fabric and wallpaper, as well as large scale photography
• garden
• practice yoga in my zen yoga space
• try my hand at making home decor items and small furniture pieces
• live for 1-2 months in a different part of the world every year (could include doing arts residencies once in awhile)

I'm sure there are more dreams and goals I either have forgotten or don't feel I can share just yet. These aren't lofty, like living in Hollywood in Corey Hart's mansion, but somehow they still seem out of reach. Baby steps.... Baby steps.

On stealing and artistic pursuits

I recently came across something that's kind of revolutionized the way I see creative endeavors. The information itself is nothing new, but sometimes I need to be smacked in the face with information before it hits home. It's called How To Steal Like An Artist, and it's actually a book (which I may or may not read).

The idea behind it is 10 simple things the author wishes to have been told while he was still in college. The original list can be seen on his website, but here is the list as I've related it to my own artistic pursuits:

1. Steal like an artist.
2. Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. (wow, that's definitely what the procrastinator in me needed to hear! And even when I do accomplish something...

"There’s this very real thing that runs rampant in educated people. It’s called imposter syndrome. The clinical definition is a “psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments.” It means that you feel like a phony, like you’re just winging it, that you really don’t have any idea what you’re doing."
-Austin Kleon

Hello.
Okay, moving on... )

3. Make the art you want to see.
4. Use your hands. (again... something I don't do nearly as much as I should, in this age of computers.)
5. Side projects and hobbies are important.
6. Do good work and share it with people.
7. Geography is no longer our master.
8. Be nice. The world is a small town.
9. Be boring. It's the only way to get work done.
10. Creativity is subtraction.

Do any of these points resonate with you?