The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

An Artist’s Mission: Keep An Open Mind

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(Pic #1) My first foray into lawn gnome culture. Meet a rusty old rabbit named Mike.

About a year ago I set out to buy a lawn gnome for a colleague of mine. If that makes you chuckle, it did me too. I really just like the sound of those two words together. Say it with me: “lawn gnome.”

But I guess I was a little snobby about garden sculpture, especially if it was literal or in any way recognizable. If you follow my posts, you know I’m partial to abstraction. The less identifiable the form, the better. But part of an artist’s raison d’etre is to see—and help others look at their surroundings, everyday objects, and life around them. So dismissing any form of art deprives us of connecting, not only with art, but with innovative ideas and each other. Seeing something fresh and new is the best way to enrich our lives.

As an artist, I now know it’s my job to keep a completely open mind. So when I saw the rusty rabbit above, in a Carpenteria Nursery called Seaside Gardens, I had to have him — and share with you. Yes, he’s made from discarded metal trash, but I like his roughness, pastel stripes, and simple lines. And who knows, in a few weeks, we may be celebrating the births of dozens of rusty baby bunnies in our fragrant bushes of lavender.

Embracing Chaos: My Happy Place

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Honestly, I’ve been super stressed lately — working on multiple projects — navigating Covid angst, and examining that need to re-define what we do and who we are. My sanctuary is my little art studio — no matter what threat level of chaos I’m handling. On this day, I was cranking out “scribble sketches” (more on that another time) and got lost in the Byzantine patterns of marks and scratches.

My husband walks in and says, “Why are you stressing?” (He can usually feel it in the next county.) I say, “I’m a bit overwhelmed.” Josh says, “I see. But from where I stand, the artist-at-work and the artist-at-play look very much the same.”

I just got grateful. It struck me that I am one of the lucky ones. No matter how many tasks I face, or how much pressure I feel, I get to bathe in creative expression. It’s something I never appreciate enough, and pray I’ll always have.

 

Picasso Was Right

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(Pic #1) “Scuba Doo” drawing by Mickey Goldman, age 5. Los Angeles, Cali.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” — Pablo Picasso

I carry on about this all the time in my corporate creativity workshops: consistent artistic expression brings all kinds of creative breakthroughs. But more than that, it’s a chance to feed your soul and experience pure joy.

In times like these (a resurgence in cases of Covid19) we need all the stress relief we can get. Making art —whether in the form of painting, poetry, music, pottery or dance — can offer a way for us to cope, even thrive. So why the heck are we not taking full advantage of the time to create? It comes down to one thing: fear. Fear of not measuring up and fear of letting go. But the big secret is: we didn’t used to be that way.

Mickey’s daily art class / Her Mom Jamie is a supercharged homeschooler right now!

My 5-year-old great niece, Mickey confirmed Picasso’s proclamation again for me today. Fearlessly, when handed some fresh markers, she announced she was going to “draw a scuba diver.”  I’m not sure who she had in mind when she chose that subject, but she totally nailed it. (Pic #1 top). She didn’t stop for second. She conceptualized and executed her vision with chutzpah and complete commitment. No re-thinking, no self-criticism. Pure art from the heart. (And honestly, how brilliant is her concept of being immersed in deep water — represented by all the waves in motion?)

Every time I see Mickey’s artwork I feel a sense of awe. She is making art for herself, freely, and wildly untethered to the insecurities that come with adulthood. I pray the rest of us can find a path to that free expression, and maybe, just maybe, we can reclaim what was once ours.