Artists

MASTERCLASSform of meditation, with the aim of becoming totallyabsorbed, immersed in the moment. Generally apainting is going well when I’m completely lost in it: mymind doesn’t wander, I can hear myself breathing, andbefore I know it, four hours have passed.Thinking about your practice as a state of mind alsohelps with that other major psychologicalchallenge – overcoming self-consciousness and the pressure ofexpectation. As composer JohnCage once put it to painterPhilip Guston, “when you startworking, everybody is in yourstudio – the past, yourfriends, enemies, the artworld, and above all, yourown ideas – all are there. Butas you continue painting,``````TOP TIP: When in urgent need ofinspiration, try taking a look throughyour old sketchbooks``````they start leaving, one by one, and you are leftcompletely alone. Then, if you’re lucky, even you leave.”For me the main question of motivation is how tofind this state, or how to persevere when it’s just nothappening. Most artists will tell you they have certainhabits and rituals to help them to ease into a painting.You can create focus out of familiarity bydeveloping a routine. This is a sort ofprofessionalism – think of Einsteinwho famously wore the sameoutfit everyday. Likewise, PierreBonnard began each day witha walk, to make notes andgather inspiration. Note-making and sketching are agreat way of gainingmomentum, as is lookingthrough your sketchbooks.``````LET THE SUN SHINEIf you’re lucky enough tohave a windowed studio,allow as much natural lightinto the space as possible``````STATE OF MINDSusanne thinks of studiotime almost like meditation,a place where you must becompletely comfortable on> your own for lengthy periods``````ABOVE Ennuie, oil on canvas,75x154cm``````Artists & Illustrators 7574 Studio Motivation.indd 75 10/06/2016 14:29