Process, Not Perfection

Beauty is in Process.

Process, not perfection.

Process, not product.

Process, as a practise.

Process, as a practice.

For me the process is EVERYTHING. 

It is in process that I find connection, authenticity, and thoughtfulness. It is in process that I learn, that I am curious, that I find wonder and wisdom, imagination and inspiration. The process of creating, the process of being creative. The process of being a creative being.

It wasn’t always like that - I think you have to practise a certain amount before you recognise the value of process. That was the case for me - when I first came back to art, I was more concerned with how what I was attempting to make ‘came out’. I was more concerned about perfection and product. But it is in process, in the nuance of doing and being with your creation that the real magic happens.

First, some definitions:

Process (noun): a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.

Practise (verb): perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to acquire, improve or maintain proficiency in it.

Practice (noun): the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it (NB: US English uses the same spelling for the verb and noun)

It is so wonderful to have a finished piece, but the creating, the conversations with subject, the consideration of form and colour, tiny scratches of pigment on surface, the breathing and presence and meditative action, that, that is truly the magic of creating art. I want to share that with you.

The butterflies in stomach moment when a little face is formed and looking at me with anticipation, when a composition comes together with heart and intention. When the leaf form comes together after layer upon layer. When you find the magic of combining, layering, colours in ways you had not thought to previously - because your process has taught you, because your observational skills are growing, because you have practised and practised.

Showing up authentically and consistently is my place of beauty, it is enchantment and delight and all the emotions in one giant interconnected energetic happening. Such wonder, truly. It is the gift that keeps on giving. Not that there are not times of frustration, when you can’t get the tone, the shape, the depth you want and you can possibly figure out why. But continuing to show up is a learning process that knows no bounds. There is always room to learn more, and you can only do that by showing up. When I look at my work from a year ago, I feel a sense of pride for how I showed up, and also that I can see progression, which only happens through practise and development of process.

Consider what it is to use coloured pencil to realistically render a part of the natural world I so adore: a tiny bit of pigment suspended in clay and wax and other binders, wrapped tightly in what was once part of a tree, dragged across a surface also once tree or plant. Tiny marks, additive, layered over and around, on top and beside. Building. Building depth and colour, form, shadow, highlight, more tiny marks, and suddenly, it comes together. It is a symphony of pigment on paper, and there she is, her likeness honoured with intention and love, after deep consideration of what it might feel like to touch her fur or wings, indeed, what it might feel like to have her fur or wings. How far her eyes see, how she hears the slightest sounds, how she has a connection to her land like I could only dream of having.

Or, she doesn’t appear. The time was not right, the conversation could not continue or start. There was no connection. It is ok, process and progress is happening. I learned, not from my mistakes, because I honestly don’t believe anything created with intention and heart can be a ‘mistake’ in art, but I learned. Even if I am frustrated and need to start again, I learned. And I practised process, even just a little more, which will only further my adventures.

And so start again, or start anew, but start all the same. And keep going. Always keep going - that is where the beauty is, where the recognition of the gift of deep observation happens, where you know you can’t and don’t want to unsee the astounding beauty all around, and know that you are more a part of that than you realised.

The process of showing up. The process. Perfectly imperfect. So much better than anything perfect could ever be.

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