Motivation

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Motivation has many faces and sounds to move us into action, to keep us from giving up, and to stay in the path. It is precisely in those moments when motivation injects that extra something in our minds pushing us away from idleness. In occasions it pushes us to rest, to take time, to breath, and consider the path we are taking, and to reconsider our intentions. Motivation can call us to begin, continue, or stop. It is that wake up call; that extra injection of strength.

Motivation comes from internal and external sources. Many people through time and effort develop the tools to be self-motivated. People who go through hard times to reach goals are generally the ones who motivate themselves when the circumstances are opposing and external motivation lacks. These are the ones that despite being fighting against the world they still find a way to come victorious. The lack of external motivation is the first source of internal motivation and the fuel to prove something to themselves and others.

On the hand, people who lack self-motivation are those who do not fight to reach goals. At times those individuals have antecedents of being people who get what they want easily. When things get difficult they just quit since internally they have no reason to complete what they started and, in some cases, no reason to begin in the first place. It is possible that external motivations are of little effect on people who lack the desire to accomplish in the first place. It requires a complete change and renovation of the mind to see these people take action.

There are others self-motivated individuals who find external motivation as support. Self-motivated individuals who know what they want and where they are going, appreciate the external. It is always encouraging to find others who push them to improve, and to become better. These external motivators are watching and expecting great things because of appreciation, friendship, admiration, and camaraderie. To all of you, I thank you.

Sculpting and Painting Parties

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I previously wrote about making art fun and making art accessible. The sculpting and painting parties have been a lot of fun so far and there are more coming! People need that time to unwind and relax, to let go of the stress of the everyday life. Those two or three hours are very therapeutic. You can see the difference in people’s faces from start to end, at least most of them. Not only they come stressed but also you can see how nervous they are. I understand. It is intimidating when you don’t know what you are getting yourself into. People is also facing a self-imposed social challenge in these events: they are trying to prove something to others and themselves. That’s one of the things I try to break with in these events. We are not competing. We don’t have to finish if we don’t want to. We are here to have fun and enjoy the ride.

10850108_10150539186189956_1251308110360202395_nDuring the sculpting and painting parties I can also observe how personalities and ways of thinking are reflected or poured out on a painting. It is possible to develop an awareness of this fact if one pays attention to it. Many people can’t tell. Everyone is looking at the same scene and all the paintings look so different. I observe how they paint and sculpt and the pressure in their hands, the brush strokes, the colors, the lines, their attitudes and aptitudes are all revealed in the process. It is so much fun to see people challenging themselves, fighting against their own nature tendency to be stressed, but at the same time putting who they are in what they do.

It is also very interesting how many people have no idea of their natural talent and how peaceful it is to engage in the creative process once you immerse yourself in it. There are many talented people out there, but because they never tried before, because of time, and life choices, that talent remains hidden. Moreover, people don’t know that talent is not necessary to have a good time and relax, especially if that is what you are there for. I’m not expecting people to become master painters or sculptors in two hours. I want them to have fun while enjoying the benefits of art.

Join us!

Online Media for Artists

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March is going to be a very interesting month this year. The agenda for the month could look overwhelming. Our agenda looks crazy between work, basketball, moving, me turning 40 (just wanted to throw that there), sculpting and painting parties, workshops, presentations, and classes. Not to mention writing for the blog, reviewing the book, and working on my sculptures. Time management is a great thing.

Overwhelming and crazy are two words that could well describe online media for artists specially when it comes to social media platforms. “There are so many!” “It looks so complicated!” “They take so much time!” “I rather be creating than wasting time in front of the computer.” “I don’t want a slave of that.” Those are just a few answers I get when I talk to artists about online media. The fact is that social media is not complicated at all and it only takes time to set up, but after that it only takes as much time as you want it to take if used effectively. On the other hand, many artists don’t know how to use online media even if they wanted to.

I ask a few questions in order to establish an analysis or pre-assessment of the situation (I am an instructional designer and the analysis is one of my favorite areas of practice):

Do you have an email account?

How often do you check your emails?

What kind of phone do you have?

Sounds silly but those questions can provide more information about online aptitudes than you think. I could add some other questions regarding having an online presence but at this time think about those three questions. After the presentation in March I’m going to write a few postings regarding the subject and the experience at the event. I am sure that the discussion is going to be very interesting. I learn a lot from people’s questions. I am not the kind of teacher that tells people what to do and how to do things. I just help people making sense on their own and adapting the information I provide according to their own needs and goals. I don’t consider myself an expert at anything but being me. That I’m doing pretty well so far.

A Fresh Look

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After a few days of not stepping into my little studio I went in for a brief moment to get something I needed. I’ve been working on one of the pieces for the new collection and there it was on top of the table staring back at me. I have not been there in days and I guess she was trying to let me know about our unfinished business. I have been busy writing and working in the fabulous accounting side of business (please insert sarcasm here) and have not been sculpting since last week. I know I always say that studio time is one of the most important priorities, but in my defense I also talked about how important it is to step away from your work from time to time to seek inspiration. Nevertheless, I gave a fresh look to the piece almost by accident. The impression I received was very pleasant. I hope people can react to it in unique ways when the time comes.

I posted a few preview pictures of the work in progress in social media platforms and woke up to very interesting and encouraging comments. Certain aspects of the sculpture cause people to question my intentions and also to take a broader look at society. That confirms that art speaks. I hope this piece and the others in the collection cause people to wonder, question, discern, judge, and to measure the ways of society and our role in it from a different perspective. If my art could somehow lead people to consider the attributions of our human nature as a starting point to understand the world we live in that is so much more that what I bargain for. That is more important to see than seeing my art dead in a gallery or museum.

Likewise, this is the intention of the book I’m writing in which I present the philosophical sense of the pieces and the cognitive process I go through while creating art. The pieces will be introduced in the book in a way I haven’t done before (maybe because this is the first book I write). In a few days I will be reviewing the book for the first time after the first complete draft. I’ll be giving it a fresh look and I hope I get the same or even better impression that what I received with the sculpture. The sculptures and the book were developing together from the start and I hope the book, which includes pictures of the sculptures, can express the essence of the pieces as the sculptures can without words carry the essence of the book.

What If

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What if we could see the results of our effort before we begin? Would that makes us finally begin working on that project we have in mind? What if we knew for certain that our project could touch and change the life of one person? Would we still do it? Sometimes all we need is a wake up call; the words of a friend or a stranger to see beyond the present, to recognize our abilities and capacities, and do it. What if that only person we touch with our work is motivated to do something and as a result hundreds if not millions of people are touched and transformed?

Many people know Billy Graham and how through his preaching thousands of people came to Christianity. Many lives have been transformed by God through the efforts of this man. However, very little is said of the person who spoke the gospel with him. Who motivated Bill Gates to stand firm in his ideas many perceived as ridiculous? How about Albert Einstein, the Wright brothers, Nikola Tesla, Leonardo da Vinci, George Washington Carver, and many others? Who motivated them to pursue their ideas? Nick Vujicic was born with no legs and no arms and is one of the greatest motivators of our time.

I can keep adding to the list of people who are known for changing lives through their inventions and their words. You might know many people who might not be famous neither have a Wikipedia page but served as motivation to you. Maybe you are the motivator of someone who is going to change the world. Maybe you are the one who is going to be motivated to make a difference in many people.