Inspiration Vs. Perspiration (IE Scary Discipline)

What’s the path on our Artistic Journeys is it the Muses coming down for a chat- Or pushing through the arduous hours — blocks and tears and pains?

Well, yes I know — I’ve been gone for some time. Maybe you’ve noticed or like me have been immersed in your latest project, ignoring life itself. Gratefully I have come out to breathe some air.

Lately what has tickled my brain has been the juxtaposition of Inspiration vs. Discipline. Much like you, I too like to watch-or read other artist’s ideas, and revelations around their artistic process. It inspires me, gives me ideas, and generally I don’t feel so alone within the process of it all. On this day within the span of 15 minute I watched two YouTube videos on the very thing, both on opposing sides of the argument.

As someone whose Substack is named after the muses, you might think you know where I stand. And you would be wholeheartedly… Well… wrong. Because where I lie is more along the shamanic side of things, as per my cultural roots (wink wink). And what pray tell is that? Well… it’s the middle path.

Now, I am but a mere human, and so I sometimes fall off, preferring one to the other. Ultimately though, my artistic career, path, and journey has taught me that it is not that one is better than the other, but rather, that they must go hand in hand. Just because they are two sides of a coin does not mean that they need to be in opposition.

As someone whose relationship with her arts discipline is one centered on inspiration, communion with the goods, if you will, and intuition. Why would I uphold something like discipline? So patriarchal, capitalistic even? Well, because it’s needed. Anyone who has gone through blocks- knows this.

It is through discipline, the act of showing up to the easel, the computer, the rehearsal studio again and again, that ultimately helps you grow- even achieve. It is the showing up and the doing that is important. It’s braving the cold in the winter when you’d rather stay in bed. Or getting up two hours before everyone so you can get those words in that matters.