Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Ode to Green


Life jumps out
Of any of crack.

Commanding attention!
Teaching resilience...
 
Watch the miracle
Sprouting joy.

Green is a hunter,
Green is a sap.

Great green globs
Growing without apology.
 
Confounding artists
To contain the power. 

Give up...

Surrender to the glory.
 
Celebrate green!


Acrylic on Canvas. 11" x 14"   Available. $300 CD
Contact Judith for more information: judith.jewer@gmail.com




Friday, January 29, 2021

Training Your Inner Critic to be Constructive - Eight Steps



Good morning everybody ... Thank you for subscribing to my Art and Poetry Blog. This is where you will find my articles about the art process. Please make sure that you subscribe so that you do not miss out on any of the insights and artworks I will be sharing here.

Today, I would like to give you some guidance on dealing with your inner art critic... I have personally struggled with an out of control inner art critic, and have watched many of my students struggle as well. The inner art critic can be crippling. I get that...  

But when you train your inner critic in the art of constructive criticism, this part of you can enhance the joy in your art making, not crush it. 

Follow these 8 steps to develop a helpful inner art critic, not an abusive one....

1) Getting critical of your inner critic is the first step and it starts with observation... The nature of the inner critic is easily influenced by criticism. Learning how to train your inner critic is actually pretty easy once you understand this. Work with your critic with patience to train this valuable art making team member. Always come back to the question... "Is that helpful?"

2) Understand the job of the inner art critic. What exactly is the job that your inner art critic is supposed to do?  Most of us think that the only job for the critic to do is to judge success or failure. This is the main misconception about the role of the inner critic, and why it can become so destructive and crippeling... The function of the critic is actually much more.... Thankfully...

3) Train your inner art critic to focus on the art elements!  Examine all of your art works in terms of shape, line, placement, proportion, values, colours, texture,  ect... All strengths and weaknesses are related to the art elements. 

4) Encourage your inner art critic to become like Sherlock Holmes... a detective solving a visual puzzle.... To solve this mystery, the clues are always found in the art elements.

5) Your inner art critic has the capacity to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of your art. In fact, I would encourage you to start any critique with first identifying strengths... Identify weaknesses second.

6) When you identify the strengths of your artwork, always think in terms of art elements. Love the shapes, love the lines. Pay close attention to your feelings of pleasure and resonance. Celebrate your success! Consider how to include more of these successful elements in future artwork. 

7) When you identify the weaknesses of your artwork, also do so in terms of art elements. Specifically focus on what will solve or resolve the weakness. The critic needs to be directed to identify specific art elements that can be improved...  Say that you are drawing a portrait... The job of the internal critic is not to judge if the portrait is good or bad and by extension, that you are good or bad... The job of the critic is to identify that the nose is too big and needs to move over to the left...  Now that is helpful and constructive because then, you know what... Just make the nose smaller and move it over and see if there's an improvement to the drawing... Also, consider how to develop and strengthen your art making skills for future work.

8) Thank your inner art critic for having a 'good eye' and being so devoted to your success.

That's the best way you use the critic...

Please feel free to forward this post.

Best wishes...

Peaceful happiness Judith
www.judithjewer.com


PS - I have just started a new blog
Ms. Judith's Studio Practice:
https://judithjewer.com/judiths-blog

PSS - I also have started making some videos and you can find them here: https://judithjewer.com/livestream-artpractice

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The Power of Cuteness

I like cute cats... what can I say about that?


When I was studying fine art in university, this is not something I would ever have admitted to..

But when I really get honest, I find there is a strong response in me to the cute, to the small and fluffy.


Cuteness makes me feel peaceful and happy... Maybe that's enough...


Exploring an aesthetic of cuteness,  sweet child like innocence... I am delighted in the beauty of big eyes that hold no worries, and smiles that hide no fear. Everything gonna be alright...


Maybe it's a worthy approach... Artwork that makes me feel peaceful and happy and other people feel peaceful and happy... 


These drawings are my chance to share a bit of peaceful happiness in the world.


That's a big thing.  That's a worthy thing...


This is an original work of art. The medium is colour pencils on  9" x 12" drawing bristol.  The drawing itself will fit beautifully into an 8" x 10" matted frame.


ENJOY! 


Peaceful Happiness, Judith 

Monday, October 12, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to wish all of my readers a very Happy Thanksgiving! Hope that you are well... I am grateful for so many things.  Particularly the joy and laughter that is in my home and heart...

I am also grateful to be able to share my artwork with you!  This painting is called 'Godspeed.'

It is about the feeling like a Slowpoke ....

I have written a poem to go with it...

LOVE-POKES

Us Love-Pokes 
aren't in a rush.
That's just cuz 
life is so lush...

Love calls us
to savour now.
Attention...
To beautys' wow!

This step here 
is just so fine,
take a minute
to smell the Pines...

It's okay
to be this way. 
God has plans
to fill our day...

Just enough
Our cups are full.
Right here now,
we feel Loves pull...

 Stay safe.... peaceful happiness Judith...

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Finding My Flow - Cultivating Gratitude


Having an art practice can benefit your health and well-being. 

Understanding how art can help you be happy, and how being happy can help you be healthy is really important.

An art-making helps cultivate gratitude. 

How to be grateful for the beauty of simple things will train you to focus on the positive. This practice can change the channel of your consciousness. 

Art-making can train your eyes to see.  When you learn to appreciate the beauty of the visual world,  all sensory experience is enhanced.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... I am blessed! 

Life is an abundant adventure....

Hope that you enjoy this painting.  It is 8" x 10" acrylics on masonite. The title is...

"Finding My Flow."

Best wishes for your health! 

Peaceful happiness Judith 




Saturday, September 12, 2020

Gladiolus September



September's gift...
Breath deeply
Glowing sunshine 
Thick as honey,  
Dancing on the edge
of Autumn 
Summer's grace 
Receding...Blessing 
Glad and glorious 
Frilly petals 
Blow kisses 
To the setting sun.