New Year's Art Resolutions

Happy New Year!!! First of all. I hope all is well with you and yours. 2015 Has just begun. You have probably heard this many times before but I will say it agin, just in case, "Your future is an empty page that has yet to be written in the story of your life". You can write it any way you choose. Do not make the mistake of letting others write it for you, or you will not be happy with the story. Whether you are a Painter, a sculptor, a Photographer or a Digital Artist, carve out your own artistic pages and make your story something worth reading. You can continue in the path you are currently in today or you can choose to make a 90 degree turn and veer off into a new and different path, one which you have never been on before but have often thought of traveling. For your New Years Resolution, why not try adding a little change to your normal way of doing things?? Try a different technique or even a different type of creativity expression. If you paint, try photography, if you sculpt try painting and so on. You may be surprised with a new favorite genre or maybe not but you will never know unless you try. I, for one, will be doing my best to try a little of this and a little of that until I get to the thing that I feel suits me the best. I will also try to finish those books that I have been working on and I will be shooting for the moon by attempting to get my new studio and gallery built this year. Everyone enjoy your new adventure which is your future and I will try to do the same!! * Painting is titled: "Nature Alive"

A Painting with a Message

The Painting above, entitled "American Heroes Unjustly Imprisoned", is a piece I created to bring attention to the largely unknown issue of American Heroes being unjustly imprisoned for serving their country in a war they did not start. The News Media remains silent on this issue as it would shed a small light of truth on the injustice being done to young men who have sworn oaths to protect this country with their lives if necessary, yet the government is not protecting them. Through ridiculous new Rules of Engagement implemented by the Obama Administration, the soldiers are charged with crimes for doing what would previously be called acts of heroism. The soldiers are charged with murder for protecting their fellow soldiers from enemy attack, yet they are prosecuted for their valiant efforts and incarcerated in a Federal Prison, some for the remainder of their lives. All profits derived from the sale of prints of this painting will be donated to worthy organizations who are working tirelessly to help these poor forgotten individuals and their families. The media will not mention this ugly blot on the face of American Justice nor will it do anything to assist those caught up in the battle to win their freedom. The media is content to feed on the scraps thrown to them by their master, the government and leave the Truth hidden in the dark. Please pray for the soldiers who sit in the dark prison cells.

New Year, New Outlook.

The New Year has begun and we are ready to start a new year of creativity!!
Cast aside the old and begin with new thoughts, new ideas.   Try something new and unusual, something that you have always wanted to try but didn't have the artistic nerve to attempt. No fear, just make the attempt.
Whether it be painting with a different medium or sculpting with a different material or even just taking photographs with a different lens!!  Just do it.  You will surprise yourself with what you can accomplish if you would only try.
A great masterpiece is awaiting the chance to be created by you!  Dig down deep, into your inner self and really shoot for the moon this year.  I am sure you will not regret it.
Even if you feel that you have tried every medium, every technique, every style, there is always the chance to create something new, something that nobody has ever seen before.  Strive to come up with the next big thing that everyone will be talking about and every gallery will want to show your work and every one will want to copy.   You just have to try.
So, get into your studio or get out into the field and create.

Memorial Post for my Father

I know that I am always saying to create no matter what, pain, overworked, etc., etc. but now I have to admit that there is a time when I cannot create a darn thing. My Father passed away last week and although I realize he is no longer suffering and is in a better place, I could not speak for a time, I cried for several days and am still saddened today. I have to admit that through this ordeal, I have been unable to even think straight, much less attempt to create anything. I used what little creativity I could muster into this memorial card I designed for my Dad. I will wait until I can stop crying before I try another creative session. Rest in Peace Dad!

Even in Pain Creativity Never Ceases!

I 

I have been in pain lately, at times quite severe pain.  I tore something in my right knee and have been unable to stand, walk, sit or even lay down without pain shooting through my knee.  

It makes it hard to concentrate sometimes but I just power through it and go ahead with the task at hand.  

         When you are in pain from one reason or another, it is quite easy to see how nice it would be to close your eyes and wish all the pain away, well that isn't gonna happen.  So, deal with it.  Stretch yourself to go past the pain, go past the concentration block, the wall in front of your creative path.

         I do not take prescription meds for the pain, just over the counter stuff to keep the swelling down.  Maybe if I had the other type of meds it might help my creativity??? No, I don't think so.  Drugs, whether legal or not only aid in confusing the mind.  If you have talent , you will find that you are much more creative with a clear mind and have no need for it to be altered in any way.  

       When  I start creating, my pain actually drifts away and leaves for a spell.  

Go ahead an try it, the next time you are in pain.  Creativity takes your mind off the pain.

 

 

http://1-george-pedro.artistwebsites.com/

Create, Create, Create!

Whenever you get the feeling that you need to take a break and relax and do something other than create a new piece of art, that is the time to CREATE another new piece! Yes! When you feel you cannot lift that brush or that pen or camera or type on that keyboard or ( you get the picture), you need to push yourself just a bit more and just do it. Create something new. You may try to create a different type or a different style or use a different technique or maybe try a different art form altogether, the important thing is to CREATE. If you need to take a break because you are bored or stuck in a rut or have a creative block, trying a new medium might be just the thing to get your creative juices flowing again. If you paint with oils, try watercolor or maybe even pastels or a simple black & white Ink drawing , you would be surprised with the challenge of black & white after relying on a full color palette . Maybe, try limiting yourself to only using One color or only two or three?? The results may be just what you have been searching for and it will open up a whole new world for your artistic mind to wander through in happiness and peace. Try it for yourself and let me know how that works for you. You might find that you have been using the wrong techniques or medium and needed the change to better yourself as an artist.

What to do when you are having trouble creating.

What to do when you are having trouble creating - This happens to everyone, at one point in their lives and sometimes several points, we all have a time when we just can't think of something to draw, paint, sculpt, photograph, whatever your medium. We hit a spot that is like a brick wall, we cannot seem to go any further. Well, you are the master of your environment, take control of it and shake it up a bit. Experiment with a different medium, if you are currently painting with oils, try photographing, if you are working on a sculpture try a pastel painting. the trick is to get those creative juices flowing once again, don't think you can't, think you can and it will happen, all you have to do is try. The thing to remember is to not give up but continue to try new and different things that might ignite a spark of creativity in you. It is not going to be easy and it may take a little bit of time but it will come back to you. Go ahead and try it the next time you hit that brick wall. Create, create, create. 1-george-pedro.artistwebsites.com

Creating Art that you like.

Creating art that you like is probably the most important point that can be made. If you like what you are creating, if you like the subject matter, the medium, the colors or the textures, anything about it, you will be much happier with not only the final piece but the whole process of creating it. I have been commissioned to do pieces that I absolutely hated but having to eat, I held my nose and did the work. Was it my best work? no, was it an enjoyable process? No. So, If you can, work with what makes you smile, something that you will look at when it is finished and say to yourself "Yes, I Love It". You have to be honest with yourself, be true to what moves you as an artist. If you like landscapes, then by all means do landscapes. If you are not sure, experiment with different mediums and techniques, with different subject matters or even at different times of the day. I knew an artist who loved to paint before the sun came up and then sleep all day and yet another who could only paint from 12 noon till 4 pm. Whatever makes you happy, do it. The whole key is to create what you want and like to create. Now go out there and create something wonderful!! http://1-george-pedro.artistwebsites.com/

How to Create Art and Still feel good about yourself.

How can I create art and still feel good about myself????? I have asked myself that question quite a few times and I always come back to the same answer, Do what you like , not what people say you should do. If they want you to paint or sculpt something that makes you feel sick in the pit of your stomach, then Say No! You create because you feel you must, every pore in your body is screaming for you to create. Create what YOU WANT, what will make you feel good inside. I know that it is hard to say no to money but believe me , you will feel much better about yourself in the long run. You can create anything you want to create, the buyers will come, eventually. Be strong and stay your course, you will be glad you did.

Views From the Farm

Views From the Farm

You Call That Art?

              You may or may not be familiar with this phrase. Has anyone ever said it to you? No? Well, that just means you are not reaching over the edge of creativity, you are not trying to push the envelope.
               If you have heard it, then you have been doing something right. Right? You say done something Right?? Yes, I believe that every artist needs to try something outside of their comfort zone at least once, twice if it works out ok.
              You can always go back to the safety of your normal works but at least you will have tried. I don't want you to think I am against the safe way to go, I'm not, I just think every artist simply needs to get a taste of something new and different. You never know what you might discover. A new technique, a new style, anything is possible. You just got to be willing to try.

Make a video of your own at Animoto.

New Year, New Challenges.

New Year, New Challenges.

Welcome to 2013!   Forget about any mistakes that were made in 2012, they're history.  Time now to look forward to the future that awaits.  This is a new year, a new chance to accomplish that which had escaped you in the past.
      If you had a great 2012 and you made no mistakes, congratulations!  You can make this new year even better.  Go and get your paints and canvases ready or your camera or your sculptors chisel or torch, or sit down at your computer and start creating.  Expand on what you started or tried last year and create something new and exciting.  Create, create, create, that is what is important now.
     Whether you need to get some more works finished for a scheduled show or maybe you have a project that is important to you alone, get them completed.  You owe it to yourself to advance your creative footprint.
    There is a great wide world out there full of challenges and people starving for someone to create that magic something to take their minds off the dreary and sad state their world may be around them.  Put a thought in someone's mind, create works that make them think or create art that will put a smile on a person's face that would otherwise go undone.

Remember, the future is what you make it.
      

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Creating When You Don't Feel Like It

Creating when you don't feel like it, sounds like something your dad or mom would tell you to do, well, yeah probably but it is something you need to think about very carefully.
  There are always going to be times when you don't feel like creating for varied reasons.  These reasons could be that you don't feel well, you might have had too rough a night last night or even the weather is bad and you feel glum and don't want to risk making something glum. Well!
Try to put everything into perspective, your daily routine, your self , your body's need to create.
I find that when I don't feel like creating and I force myself to sit down and try something different with my paints or digital work, once I get started, the reason that I felt like not creating goes away and the piece I create or group of works, is more powerful than I could have gotten  the day before.
Seems odd but the act of creating gives the body a strength to move forward that is usually hidden from our normal daily lives until the need presents itself.

So, allow your creative juices flow even in times of sickness or bad feelings about you daily situation and you will find that inner power and strength to do great things.
Go and create something today!  I know I will.

Don't forget to visit my Galleries on FAA at   http://1-george-pedro.artistwebsites.com/ My Galleries at FAA

Have a Happy New Year!!!

GPArtGallery

Creating in a Muddled World

Creating images in a muddled world...

As an Artist it is necessary to become adept at juggling everything you need to do in your daily life, while still allowing yourself plenty of time to create.
Whether you are a painter, sculptor, photographer, etc. you need to be creative and you need to let your creative juices flow.  Stifling the flow will in effect, stifle the ability to create what you were meant to create.

I know our lives are complicated these days, the world is a muddled mess and we have to run here, do this or that.  There is never any time left to create!   You need to take control of you Artistic being and create time, yes , create time to create.
Sounds hard?  It is but it is what you have to set your mind to do.
It doesn't work the same for everyone out there, some can set a special time such as, 7:30 pm till 9:00 pm Mondays , Wednesdays and Fridays will be set aside for nothing but sitting at your easel and create something in that time frame.  Others will set aside a day or two of the week to go out and take photographs or make sketches.
    
Anyway that suits YOU is what you need to set-up.   The important thing to do is to allow yourself time to create.







View Images I created here.

Road Blocks to Creativity

Roadblocks to Creativity pop up all the time in the most unwelcome times.   It could be something as simple as a sniffle or as complex as anxiety but you can count on the fact that whatever it is, it will cause a shut down of your creative processes. 
Dealing with your issue and returning to a creative flow may be easy or hard but it is up to you to take control of your life and change from non-productive to productive.
Personally, I find that letting my creative juices flow acts as a healing prescription.  If I feel terrible ,  I will take whatever medication is necessary to remedy that part of the affliction but I will turn to creating something to take my mind in another direction, away from my troubles and towards freedom from stress.
You may have to change from working on a complex painting to a simple sketch or graphic image on the computer, or perhaps pick up some clay and start kneading and shaping or get out the hammer and chisel and start carving into some stone.
             Once you make up your mind to let the creative juices flow from your mind and into your hands , you will find what was causing the roadblock is now gone or at least mostly gone and will be completely gone with a little more effort.  
    Don't give up, the creativity needs to flow out of your inner being to allow you to be happy.
Create, create, create.

Do Not Limit Yourself

"Shattered" by George Pedro

There is always the temptation to fall into the rut of creating the same type of art over and over again and never deviating from your "usual" Style or medium.
You will be told that you need to develop your style, choose your medium, in effect limit yourself.
Yes pigeon hole yourself into one style , one medium and keep working on that and only that and there is a chance that you might be one of the lucky few that have hit what makes them happy and makes them money.
Unfortunately, most of us won't hit it right on the first try.  How many of the Great Masters have changed there styles throughout their lives, how many were sculptors but became famous for their paintings and vise versa.
Listen to your inner self.  It will guide you , maybe not in the right direction but through necessary paths for you.  Travel those paths and be confident that you will eventually find what makes you happy, what allows you to let the creativity flow from your being.
Painting, Sculpting, Photography, who knows.  You will find it for yourself if you let yourself.
You will find that the journey is what will lead to the end of the road.

Creativity in the Modern Age: Creating on a Daily Basis

Creativity in the Modern Age: Creating on a Daily Basis:  I am often asked, "Where do my ideas come from?" .  I tell them ,"From Life".  Everything we do, everywhere we go on a daily basis gets emb...

Creating on a Daily Basis

 I am often asked, "Where do my ideas come from?" .  I tell them ,"From Life".  Everything we do, everywhere we go on a daily basis gets embedded in our minds and starts the wheels moving in the creativity processing center in our brain.  It is something that cannot be turned off, it sometimes seems as though it has disappeared for a time but it is always there.
   I find myself deep in thought when i am not putting things down on canvas or the computer screen.  I have to release the creative urges that pulse through my body or I freeze up, I become lost in thought.
I have struggled for years with this problem and have finally come to the conclusion that the answer is to let it come out.  I don't try to keep it bottled up anymore.  The computer has made it possible for me to do this where I was limited when only being able to release on canvas in my studio.  The computer has freed me from that prison.
  So when the urge to create something comes over you, don't stifle yourself.  Pick up that brush, camera , hammer and chisel or mouse, or whatever media you like and just do it.  You will feel the pressure coming off your back.
Go create what your mind tells you to create.   It could be a simple cartoon or a complex sculpture or painting, whatever it is, your mind will direct your hands.

Creativity in the Modern Age

Creativity in the Modern Age.

Art has had it's horizons expanded by the advent of the computer. It allows us to freely create far more than we could with mere paint and brush or pen and ink. Although I love using Oils and Inks, I can now take those images I create and explore the endless possibilities that are afforded me with the simple introduction of my base work into the different computer programs and utilize their potential for artistic expansion into previously unattainable lengths.