To be an Artist Warrior is to be a consistent creator, supporter and protector — a warrior for art and creator of beauty.
Do not take up this challenge lightly.
Artists are instigators of ideas and conduits of creation. To bring ideas and feelings into form you must release the comfort of routine, the 5 o’clock bell to end work. You will skip meals, forget to flush the toilet, and enter the realm of twilight life.
Friendships may end, jealousy, shame and secret torments may haunt the far recesses of your mind – yet…
Hope remains, while the heart is true. That brings us to the question that will save you in the end:
Artist Warrior Manifesto
Why do you want to create?
For the love of money or glamour? If so, thank you for reading this far and go have a nice day.
We are all too aware now for that shallow thinking. Dig in…deep.
Art is the fastest way to shine a sense of joy and wonder to the world, to cause beauty to be felt, experienced, lived with, needed, shared, to start a conversation, invoke change and launch movements that impact the world.
Art is life
Art is like breathing and breath brings life. A creative dinner plate makes the food look and taste better, and even a new coat of paint on your car makes you feel better when you get behind the wheel. Art inspires hope in ourselves and others, guides us to see beauty and to create beauty and encourage beauty in others.
In the darkest spaces, art creates light.
Now more than ever, art has the ability to cross boundaries in language, religion and culture.
The power to heal grief, anger and shame and in their place create wonder, joy and hope.
When you create under the torchlight of God’s power and grace, you’ll blaze an unstoppable path of creativity and transformation.
Stop wasting time.
It doesn’t matter if the glass is half full or half empty – drink it and get on with it!
Got the wrong brush to paint with, get out the scissors and trim it or use your hands.
No paint, use pencil, use your voice, your smile.
Be Uncomfortable.
Toss the couch cushions and the remote.
Record your poem where it isn’t perfect, while you commute.
Sketch while you wait – for anything.
Take your art seriously and train like a warrior!
To explode creativity all over the world you’ve got to be ready.
To support and ignite the creative spark in others, you have to be consistent.
Find your deeper reason.
Make your art be an answer to the children who are shooed away by bored adults who tell them, “It’s just picture’s honey, let’s go.”
Show those who feel helpless and paralyzed by circumstances or experiences, those whose gifts are frozen, their dreams in danger of crumbling like dust.
Show them your art, the tiniest spark of beauty, that inspires hope that lights the pilot light in their heart, like the flower coming up through the crack in the pavement – your art will make a difference – if only to plant the seed.
Release yourself from the outcome.
Do your work, share and move on. You cannot make someone see or believe or buy.
Share your best work, understanding that everything communicates and do it again the next day.
When you do your art, it makes an impact, whether you see it or not.
It might start small like the butterfly wing and it may first be only felt in your own heart.
Continue with it and your impact will deepen into a dent, your dent – and like a golf ball – the world needs lots of dents to fly far.
Start like an athlete
Eat healthy, drink clean water, get sleep, align your mindset and habits to support you to create your best work.
Develop your creative backbeat then, dig your toe in at the starting line and go!
Keep going.
A painting is paint on a brush that kept moving. Discouragement, self-sabotage, resistance and all related entities are the enemy. Deny them like sugar on a diet and pursue your mission.
Remember why you began.
HOW does this Artist Warrior Manifesto make you feel? Please tell me in the comments below.
SHARE it with someone who might like to read it.
Thank YOU for being a creator,
Roxanne
Ready to claim your place as an artist and not sure how, grab your free mini-course