Rick Rubin

o live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead.
Attuned choice by attuned choice, your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.

What we create allows us to share glimpses of an inner landscape, one that is beyond our understanding. Art is our portal to the unseen world.

The practice of spirituality is a way of looking at a world where you’re not alone. There are deeper meanings behind the surface. The energy around you can be harnessed to elevate your work. You are part of something much larger than can be explained—a world of immense possibilities.

The object isn’t to make art,

it’s to be in that wonderful state

which makes art inevitable.

Robert Henri

Examples include driving, walking, swimming, showering, washing dishes, dancing, or performing any activity we can accomplish on autopilot.

Distraction is not procrastination. Procrastination consistently undermines our ability to make things. Distraction is a strategy in service of the work.

Instead of sounding like others, value your own voice. Develop it. Cherish it.

Yet painting can be anything that involves the use of color on a surface for an aesthetic or communicative purpose

The most deceptive rules are not the ones we can see, but the ones we can’t. These can be found hiding deeper in the mind, often unnoticed, just beyond our awareness.

Be aware of any assumptions based on conventional wisdom.