Life is a series of beautiful moments interspersed by absolute chaos. Tamariki, jobs, library fines and WOF checks sometimes dampen our creative flames, so get yourself a cuppa and settle in to read some rambling thoughts on how to survive, thrive and create in the midst of the onslaught of life!

Toi as Rongoā

Toi is a totality, it’s a blessing, sometimes it’s complete chaos! 

Toi is an innate human desire that draws our experiences of life into tangible and intangible things. It heals the tears in our souls, creating bridges over gaps and encouraging us to seek wonder in the world.

When we make art, we research, we are inspired, we process, we trial, we reflect, we giggle, we amend, we seek feedback, we amend, we admire, we think, we congratulate ourselves on being amazing, we get distracted, we amend again, we get stressed and whakatau, we lock in, we finish the work and bask in the feeling of completion.

Making work is like making a baby — it’s all exciting fun at the start, then there’s worry and wonder during gestation, but a couple big pushes and ta-da! There’s a whole new appreciation for what we’re capable of!

The Importance of Meandering

We meander, we wander round, and take detours. There’s a supreme joy in going somewhere just because you want to. There are pockets of inspiration everywhere, moments of contemplation to be found and enjoyed! 

Unfettered exploration is one of the natural states of artists. We are constantly at odds with deadlines. Balancing everything is an impossible task. If we try to do everything all at once we lose our precious ‘fuck around’ time and end up jumping straight to the ‘find out’ part!

There is a joy in revelling in the space just before the resolution, letting the answers fall into place, meandering through a problem. I’m not very good at meandering yet (too solutions focused) but I’m working on enjoying the journey and the inspiration it brings.

Rest and Loving the Maramataka

Rest is hard! I’ve got tamariki, so usually I carve out five minutes to myself by hiding in the toilet. 

Life is an exhausting endeavour! The tricks of capitalism fool us into thinking we can have everything and do it all, but we are discerning folk. We know periods of quiet time precede periods of exuberant energy. You have to sleep to be awake. Rest is an important part of our art practice.

Being a Fun Silly Weirdo

I was raised by McGullicuddys and if there’s one thing ingrained into me it’s that having fun is Serious Business!!! Having a good time is something to actively cultivate. Especially considering the world is a lot right now (an understatement), it is through digging our hands into the dirty world of play that we can find the solace to recharge our hope batteries.

Appreciate Yourself! Gas Yourself Up!

No one else is gonna do it, so you might as well give yourself credit for the traits and actions that you admire in other people. 

I don’t always do this but I’m trying, and that counts! Celebrate those wins baby!!

Hanging with the Bros

You gotta hang out with your bros.

One sure-fire way to boost down the path of insanity is by pulling away from your friends.

Keep your enemies far away and your mates as close as you can.

Liberation!

Here are some challenges for you to do, in any order. The point of the challenge is to flex the liberation muscles of your mind.

Day One: Make something so cliché it might make your eyes bleed. Find three positive words to describe it and gift it to a friend.

Day Two: Go find an artwork you made that you’ve had for ages. Burn it or throw it out. Let it go, feel the grief, accept the time lost while making it, be grateful for whatever you learned in the creative process and what it says about your creative journey. Release it into the art-afterlife.

Day Three: Sit down and stare at the wall for thirty minutes. Put a timer on and don’t do anything but be present with yourselves until the timer goes off. Then have a cuppa tea and a biscuit.

Day Four: Don’t go on social media, or read anything related to art or art making. Don’t go into your emails — go and touch some grass!

Day Five: Make something so cringe and self-indulgent it makes you feel a bit ill. Wallow in yourself, take a deep breath in, exhale and say out loud, “I love all the weird parts of me!”

Day Six: Set a timer for thirty minutes. Take a piece of paper, take your time and journal about artworks / art experiences you’ve done that you’re proud of. When the timer goes off, set it for thirty minutes again, and spend that time congratulating yourself.

Day Seven: Truly reconcile yourself with the fact that You Are Enough. Your worth is not dependent on how much work you produce, the quality of that work, the number of shows you get or the acclaim you receive. You are enough. Your survival and your creativity, these are enough. This one is a lifelong effort, but each time you try, it’ll get easier.

The HEART TALK Series is brought to you Art Makers Aotearoa and was commissioned and produced by Van Mei, with copy-editing by Marie Shannon and funding support from Creative New Zealand.