Is your inner artist gagged and bound? Discover the magic of The Artist's Way
Creative ruts are a right nightmare for anyone, but fear not! In this post, I share my personal experience on how The Artist's Way helped to reignite my creative spark and provide valuable lessons.
The frustration of being stuck in a creative rut can be the most painful of experiences. It can feel like your inner creative ego is gagged and bound in a cellar, unable to break free and express itself.
I endured a wall of silence when it came to writing just a few years ago, which I’ve written about here. It drove me crazy trying to access the pot of unique ideas and the magical ‘flow’, which I’d heard oh-so-much about from other writers and artists.
This was when I bought a copy of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way (TAW) and left it to sit sweating in shrink-wrap beneath its layer of dust for the longest time. Why wasn’t it working??
This international bestseller has become essential for anyone experiencing imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or a creative slump. It's known as the writer's and artist's bible for getting your creative mojo back on track. And let me tell you, it works.
The mental shift
I now understand that I wasn’t ready for TAW, the places it would take me, and the cracks in my life’s foundations.
Several years later, I unwrapped that glossy book, bought a bland notebook, and began a journey, which would cause a mental shift in my writing that would change my relationship with the craft.
The Artist's Way is a self-led program with weekly activities designed to rejuvenate your creativity. It's a journey of personal growth and change designed to help you cultivate your creativity and overcome any obstacles standing in your way.
At times, it tests, pushes and pulls you into some shadowy nights of the soul. Each chapter seemed to chime with whatever emotion I was wrangling each week, so I felt my hand tightly held by the threads of the book’s purpose. It’s powerful.
The morning pages
It starts with morning pages (MPs), which writers of all shapes and sizes are sure to have heard of or even practised without realising that they’re from TAW. You are tasked with writing three handwritten, stream-of-consciousness pages that you complete every day upon waking – before heading to the bathroom, before coffee, and before speaking to another soul.
They clear your mind before you start the day. Using MPs to wring out the annoyances, irritants, and toxicity in your thoughts helps to chip away at the blockages that prevent you from being your best self. But morning pages are just one part of the equation.
The artist’s date
The other critical component of The Artist's Way is the weekly artist's date. This is a foundation activity that many stuck artists and writers continue to do long after they've finished The Artist's Way 12-week course. I still take myself off on creative ‘dates’ although admittedly not as frequently.
My outlook on jumping on a train and visiting photography exhibitions 50 miles away or spending a Saturday afternoon with a cascade of art materials on the kitchen table to paint and draw has altered. It’s just part of life now.
People watching, but don’t get arrested!
An artist's date is purposeful, not a mindless activity. It can be anything that inspires you, like visiting a museum or exhibition, taking a distraction-free twenty-minute walk, attending a spoken word performance, or people-watching in a crowded area (one of my faves with a camera, but don’t get arrested!).
Artist dates don't have to be dull, boring, or predictable. You can be as outlandish as you like; the more unique to you your date is, the better. This is a legitimate opportunity to explore, a license to do things you wouldn't normally do.
As Julia Cameron, writes, "An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist."
To get the most out of The Artist's Way, here are ten ideas for artist dates:
1. Take a walk in nature and observe the beauty around you.
2. Visit a local museum or art gallery and immerse yourself in creativity.
3. Attend a spoken word performance or poetry reading.
4. Take a cooking class and explore your creativity in the kitchen.
5. Visit a botanical garden or greenhouse and sketch or paint the plants.
6. Take a dance class and let your body move freely.
7. Attend a music festival or concert and let the music inspire you.
8. Explore a new neighbourhood or city and take photographs of the unique architecture or street art.
9. Have a picnic in the park and bring art supplies to create something in nature.
10. Attend a workshop or seminar on a topic that interests you, such as writing, painting, or photography.
My own artist’s dates
Some of my favourite artist dates include a solo Sam Fender gig at Manchester's Castlefield Bowl. I’m so used to being at gigs with friends and family that I realised I noticed more, and observed more – the smells, sights, and textures of the experience in a way that wouldn’t have been possible within a group of mates.
Designing my tattoo to reflect a period of transition and equilibrium (and getting it inked into my skin).
Going beach-combing with my family, choosing 'treasure' from the shore guided by instinct. It was a cheap day out that ended up being so much fun.
Visiting photography exhibitions of artists, I wouldn’t usually see (one local) industrial photographer, a Banksy exhibition as another.
Throughout the 12 weeks of The Artist's Way, I learned a few things that I wish I had known beforehand:
- You're in it for twelve weeks once you start. That's three months of writing every morning, weekly artist dates, and multiple creative tasks each week. Make sure you're ready to commit.
- Plan your artist dates in advance. Time passes quickly, so prepping ideas helps during the busier weeks. Be prepared for it to get emotionally difficult.
- The Artist's Way is designed to help you dig deep and uncover raw emotions and states of being. But remember, you're not going mad, and you can work through these challenges more quickly if you understand that you're exploring yourself. Deeply buried emotions will be brought to the surface. So go gently and be kind to yourself.
- It has a spiritual aspect, but it's up to you to interpret it in a way that works for you. There is a lot of discussion of ‘God’ as a creative concept in The Artist's Way, but as Julia Cameron says, it's more about creativity as a 'flow'.
You need to be willing to commit to 12 weeks of guided creative spirituality. And if you can open your mind and shift your thoughts to this commitment, you're halfway to winning.
Five ways to get the most out of The Artist’s Way program:
1. Commit: When you start The Artist's Way, commit to completing the full 12-week program. It can be challenging, but seeing your creativity and personal growth changes is worth it.
2. Take morning pages seriously: Although it may be tempting to skip morning pages or only do them occasionally, they are an integral part of the program. Use them to clear your mind and get any negativity out of your system before you start your day.
3. Embrace the artist's date: Use the weekly artist's date to explore and have fun. Don't be afraid to get creative and try new things.
4. Be honest with yourself: As you work through the program, be honest about your fears and limitations. Use the tools provided in the book to overcome them and move forward.
5. Connect with others: Consider joining a support group or finding a friend to go through The Artist's Way with you. Having someone to talk to about your experiences and hold you accountable can be incredibly helpful.
"Creativity - like human life itself - begins in darkness."
Remember, The Artist's Way is not a quick fix but a personal growth and change journey. By committing to the program and using the tools provided, you can renew your creativity and transform your life.
As Julia Cameron writes, "Creativity - like human life itself - begins in darkness." But it's up to us to cultivate that creativity and bring it into the light. The Artist's Way is an excellent tool for anyone looking to develop, inspire, and feed their creativity. And as someone who has experienced the benefits firsthand, I highly recommend giving it a try. Trust the process; you might be surprised at what you discover.
Thanks for this post,. Nat. I'm looking for this, as we write. I'm struggling with the memoir - I think I'm bored with it, as I constantly polish the first 5,000 words and ignore the remaining 25000.....
I've started in before and then trailed off. Commitment is key to it as you say. But perhaps I wasn't ready then. I have my copy waiting for when it's time. Thanks for sharing your experiences and your ideas for artist's dates!