Day 6 - Chapter 7 - The Artist's Way

Chapter Seven focuses on connection with the self.  Cameron points out how difficult sometimes it is to connect.  She reminds her reader of how her tools of morning pages and artist date assist with the ability to listen to one’s self in training her reader to get past the inner critic.   She refocuses her reader to “get something down, rather than trying to think something up.”  What most prevents an artist of getting something down is perfectionism.  Cameron encourages her reader to not fear mistakes, as there are none. Perfection is a pursuit of the worst in oneself.  As an artist begins any project, often without any awareness to old patterns of thinking, one may stop creating in order to adjust for perfection.  And often, Cameron states, never finishes the project. The ability to hear one’s self takes a practice. Mistakes are a normal part of the creative process.   She encourages her reader to look at risk as if they did not have to do the task perfectly. To do something great, she suggests the reader be willing to risk doing it badly first.  As any artwork toward a creative discovery, moves the ability out of the “thinking” and into action. She suggests to her readers to make a list of the things they would do if they did not have to do them perfectly.  For example, stand up comedy or figure drawing. The world becomes larger when there is a willingness to take risks. One of the emotions that often prevents others taking a risk is jealousy. Yet it’s often the emotion that points the way to what one desires in their life.  Cameron’s exercise of building a jealousy map helps her readers discover the fears that most often hold one back from attempting any creation.


​​I encourage you to buy a copy of The Artist's Way for a better understanding of your own creative process.  Whether you're a master artist or beginning artist, this is an excellent book.

---