Who is the true artist?
“When i asked deepak chopra what he would say to each artist about persevering over rejection, he told me this: every artist in the world should memorize and store this answer indelibly in their consciousness. Rumi, the 13th century Sufi mystic and artist said: ‘I want to sing like birds sing, not worrying who listens or what they think.’”
Maiden of Minos | original fine art print | Eden Maxwell
From my book, An Artist Empowered:
MAKE NO MISTAKE
An Artist Empowered is for the true artist. Anything less than true won’t do. Half-hearted is exactly what it sounds like. To triumph over rejection you must feel—not think about—that divine fire in the belly, a flame that can only be extinguished by you; no one else has dominion over your work. Did you think otherwise? Remember, failure isn’t when someone rejects your art; failure is when you give up on your own self.
When I write the ‘true’ artist, I am specifically designating the authentic artist whose work—in whatever form—is the direct result of finding her dharma, or one’s purpose in life, which is the grand prize of temporal existence. The true artist is self-referential. She needs no outside authority or show of hands to validate her art—which is absolute. Along the way, she has learned a valuable lesson: when you respect your intuition, the form of your art will follow.
For the true artist, art isn’t a decision based upon an educated guess, an academic hypothesis, a subject to scratch off a to-do list, an aptitude test, or a career counseling session. Art is a mission, which can’t be countermanded by any external force. Loyal to her vision, the true artist has no illusions about the nature and value of her work. Remember, ‘you are on sacred ground when you know where you stand.’
The true artist knows precisely where she stands as a creator. She is in harmony with her soul because she has found her passion, her dharma. And to discover her dharma she was willing to commit to the adventure and pay the price, whatever that might be.
Are you?
There is no other way. Each artist must pass through the eye of the needle alone and on her own merit.
CONNECTING ON A DEEPER INTUITIVE LEVEL
My art-making is based on the physical flow of spontaneous intuition, which involves a remarkable journey. Impulses of energy and information surge down my arm and, through improvisation, I compose visual jazz with line and color. If the art-making is magic, then the art is magic.
What does my paintings Maiden of Minos reveal to you? There is no right or wrong answer. Trust your feelings, not the opinion of others, including art critics and so-called experts. Remember, if you see it, then it’s there. Enjoy. Click on the painting for more details.
To get a better feel for the scope and range of my art, please visit my collection of original Fine Art prints: each signed print features museum-quality materials, permanent pigment inks, plus acid-free matting that I attach to the artwork using conservation best practices.
To further connect with you, I share more of the inner workings and depth of my art and exclusive personal insights in my newsletter. Subscribe below and receive a free valuable gift: Ten Tips for Building Self-Confidence.