Creative Zone – Page 25

Blasting Through The Creative Block

January 26, 2013 by Lonnie Lardner

(Pic #1) Brightly colored pens, close-up, at Art Essentials in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Josh Kaplan.)

My surefire cure for getting unstuck:

It happens to all of us. That wall we hit when it’s not working. We’re dry. Scared. Frustrated and empty. The artist asks: When will inspiration come? Is there a chance it’s left for good? And if it has, how then do we define ourselves? At least that’s the rabbit hole I start sliding down, and maybe you do too.

Get to the nearest art supply store – it’s seriously therapeutic.

For me, just walking into an art store gives me a jolt of, “Let’s get started” or “Damn, I just have to work with those colors.” There’s something about seeing a row of Seafoam pastels juxtaposed with hot magenta… or a sweet shade of violet that reminds me of the miniature crocuses scattered in our front yard when I was a kid.

My eyes dart around as if I’m peaking on a sugar rush. The paintbrushes diabetes call out to be touched. I give in – stroking the red sables and the super-soft $75 brushes I’ll never allow myself to buy. But they are doing their job: they are getting me excited about making art.

I start “testing” colors in the French pastel section – checking their compatibility with each other. I remembered a woman in my art critique group pairing a pale dusty pink with an olive green. Those colors reminded me of the striped Danskin tops I wore when I was 10. That thought reminds me that (also) when I was 10 — I never got stuck. Give me a periwinkle Crayola and some free time, and I was good to go.

And now, walking out of Art Essentials in Santa Barbara with my new aquamarine oil stick and a receipt that shows I indulged myself to the tune of $3.89 — I’m good to go again.

An inspirational visit to “Art Essentials” in Santa Barbara. (Photo by Josh Kaplan.)

SB trio 2 raw.4tlrjpg

SB LL in paper section 4tlr

SB mona lisa + red tube - duet 4tlrjpg

The Year Ahead: Think Like An Artist

December 31, 2012 by Lonnie Lardner

(Pic #1) Lonnie Lardner leaps into the New Year – with purpose. (Photo by Josh Kaplan)

Bend it, Twist it, Make it yours

It’s funny, I’ve been asked more times this year than in any other to share my New Year’s resolutions. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or my generation is starting to really care about its accomplishments and impact. But one thing is clear to me: if we live our lives as artists do — everything we do will be better.

Consider this. Typically, artists:

(Pic #2) Acrylic and thread on paper by Raul de la Torre, an L.A. based artist who lets his paint surprise him (note bottom drips).

1) Thrive on happy accidents. Just watch an abstract painter slap an overloaded brush onto his canvas. The unexpected drips and rivers of color can invigorate, inspire, and lead to even more exciting work — but only of we are willing to trash the need to control every drop (See Raul de la Torre’s painting in Pic #2).

2) Know your passion is your purpose. You would be hard pressed to stop an artist from creating. Her mission runs so deep to the core that NOT making art isn’t even an option. Inspiration comes from the soul, and nothing is more authentic than that.

3) Genuinely savor every moment. This is crucial. If artists stopped observing and therefore stopped creating visual commentary, we just might find ourselves in a colorless, spiritless society. By examining the world around us, and feeling what we are supposed to feel — our lives are enriched.

My good friend musician/producer Andre Fischer (multiple Grammy winner and drummer for Rufus) once told me that his father, (jazz great) Dirk Fischer set him straight about the value of time, at an early age. Andre was late to meet his Dad, and Dirk told him to look at the second hand on his watch, because “every second you live — you die. And I hope those precious seconds of my life you wasted we’re not spent in folly son, because every second counts.”

In 2013, I hope to do things differently. I want to step out of my comfort zone at every opportunity. I want to appreciate more – and whine less. And like a great artist, I want to embrace what I can’t control. The surprises could be spectacular.

The Ultimate Christmas Gift: Creativity

December 30, 2012 by Lonnie Lardner

(Pic #1) Emma, a young South Central L.A. artist catches me painting outside the lines. Photo by Anita Bartlett.

I just got back from South Central LA, where for the 24^th straight year, we held a Christmas party and art workshop for inner-city kids. More than 500 children lined up around Loren Miller park for a few hours of uncomplicated fun. They all received toys and little goodie bags with some holiday treats they might not have gotten otherwise. Those who wanted, got a little face time with Santa, and everyone got to paint.

Every year, there is small army of volunteers that comes down to help. Invariably they tell me it’s one of the most rewarding experiences they’ve ever had. I know it is for me.

Except…

These days, as the number of kids we serve has steadily grown, I have to function as a sort of an organizational ringmaster, the one overseeing the project, supplies, and logistics – the big picture. I was lamenting to my husband this morning, that in some ways I miss the early days when the kids measured in the dozens and not the hundreds.

(Pic #2) Future L.A. Times art critic?

Those days, I got to sit with a table-full of little ones, side-by-side, and jump in – just making art. It wasn’t just rewarding, it was fun. For a few minutes, that piece of construction paper in front of them, with paint and glitter slathered all over it, wasn’t just the most important thing in the world — it was the best amoxicillin thing in the world. I used to think it was because those kids were from the most impoverished neighborhoods in L.A., and have so little in the way of material bounty. But that’s not it.

Earlier this year I was on a flight from New York, enjoying a rare first class upgrade. Across the aisle was a 7 year-old-girl with her mom. She wore designer clothes, and was watching a movie on her iPad. As I often do on planes, I took out some markers and started to play. When I noticed her staring, I asked if she wanted some markers and paper. Within 3 minutes, that little piece of paper in front of her wasn’t just the most important thing in her life, it was the best. scla girl smiles 4tlr She reminded me of myself at 7 — begging my mom to postpone lights-out for just ten minutes, so I could draw one more silly monster.

I think it has nothing to do with race, or gender… or age or privilege. I think we all have this overpowering need to create something that is uniquely ours. It may be as essential as any drive a human being has.

Or…it may just be fun.

I could seriously go on about this for hours, but I just discovered an unopened box of colored pencils left over from our workshop today…. and lights-out is still ten minutes away… so, I gotta go.

scla CU art 4rlr

scla girl shows art 4tlr

scla demet and boy smile 4tlr

(Pic #4) Some came for Santa, others came to paint.