Ideas for Fueling the Creative Process
 Creating art is an opening, rather than a mystery relegated to a gifted few.  Simple
exercises can shift perception and then be expressed through the hands. The
greatest tip for successful art making is simple - persistence. 

The first suggestion is to notice hesitation -
and then to explore the possibility that
inner questioning and doubt is a universal
experience shared by artists throughout
space and time- and so when an artist
doubts their ability, they are connected to
all artists.  The same is true when the artist
experiences the jubilation of creative suc-
cess.  Maintaining the spirit of adventurous
play is most useful.

The following ideas are intended to provide
fodder for the imagination to fuel the
artistic process.

If faced with a blank piece of paper-there is nothing there, so it is impossible to mess it up.  The paper is simply another tool for learning.  If the results do not meet the original vision -what adjustments can be made to the vision or the execution and what can be learned? Hesitation at the blank page can easily shift to excitement at the possibilities. 
"Self Portrait" batik wax resist, 1991
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1. Consider the Buddhist monks that create elaborate mandalas out of rice flour - laboring over the meticulous process for days, and then sweeping the result away as it is completed in a ritual honoring the transient nature of life.  It is useful to allow the act of creating to be more important that any end result.
2. Practice “Seeing Without Naming”.   Shapes, shadows, textures exist in space and time with no name attached.  The naming is introduced by the rational mind.  When seeing without naming, we notice shapes, angles, tones, light, qualities of air.  Translating this direct seeing to the page is a primary tool for representational artists.   Beyond its usefulness as a tool, seeing without naming also brings a sense of peace, especially when used with awareness of the breath.   This non-verbal state can feel wonderful - out of time - and is one of the gifts of venturing into the creative unknown.
3. How to get accurate representation?   One trick to achieve a likeness is to carefully study the shapes and tone of shadows as they relate to the form.  To practice this, find a simple subject and place a light source to either side or study natural light at morning or evening.  Study the shapes of the shadows - relate them to familiar shapes.  Notice where the shadow is darker, lighter?  Notice where the lines of the shadows are defined, where more fuzzy.
4. How to open the doors to abstract expression?   Plenty of materials and the spirit of play.   One exercise to encourage exploration is to paint music.  Play music and let the sounds move the brush, inspire the color. Try using music that is less familiar, or music that evokes a strong response.  Move past literal interpretation of any lyric and simply allow the music to move the brush.  Allow at least an hour for this - and maybe join with others for as “pleasure shared is pleasure doubled”.  Any results are simply consequences of the exploration and so secondary.
5. Warm and cool- Orange is the warmest color and blue is the coolest.  Notice what feels warm and cool without falling into analytical reasoning.  One tip to play with is - Warm light makes cool shadows and cool light creates warm shadows.   This is a direction to consider, rather than a rule.  Notice that warm colors seem to come forward and cool colors receded.
6. Above all else ~ keep making art.