Mull it Over Monday: Think Less, Paint More ...tapping into joy

From my archives, a detail of c/p w/c on paper

I recently read Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now. It's a wonderful read.  He talks a lot about joy.  He says it doesn't come from the outside...   He says we should be more conscious and "think" less. When I apply that concept to my art, it works on many levels. Mixing the right color, intuitively finding the right tools and equipment, arranging a still life: Most of it is better accomplished on the fly in the moment. Many of my best paintings were done with not a thought to be found. In fact, the more I think about my art the less I actually do it. Having a vision that motivates and gives us our get-up-and-go even before we grab a paint brush is a magic and sometimes fragile alchemy. The "joy factor" is there when ideas inspire and sustains us as the creative act unfolds. 

Always good for a laugh, this website.

I believe that artists have a unique ability to tap into joy.  When it's there it's great, when we're not feeling it: Thats when thinking less can really come in handy.  Getting quiet helps.  Switching out a media of choice, trying a new subject matter, size or supports will reset one's creative flow.  My husband sometimes tells me I need "a fresh set of eyes" --and achieving that can be as simple as a good night's sleep.  How do you recharge?