How to quiet the mind and reduce the mental chatter and clatter?

Stillness is a hot commodity in this era of 24/7/365 distractions. Artists who understand this and can capture tranquility in their work will do well for their art, themselves, and their clients.

Stillness inspires new ideas and designs. It leads to creative problem solving, as well as unique and rewarding paintings. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections. Stillness helps us make space for gratitude and draws out of us the wonder that makes art so powerful. 

Stillness operates in three distinct domains; Mind, Body, and Spirit. For the betterment of our art and our life, it’s our responsibility to take ownership of these three. 

Mind: Mentally gear up for painting. Be an expert at mindfulness. This skill will come in pretty handy when painting. Painting is mind-numbing, exhaustive work. Give your mind every opportunity for success. The night before, speak into yourself with some good encouragement. Get a good night’s sleep for the days leading up to the event, and visualize yourself actually creating amazing works of art; imagine what they look like, use your imagination to draw out emotions and feelings. Own it. Name it! Tell yourself, ‘you got this!’

Body: Give your body every chance of success, too. Science is now realizing just how important it is to breathe deeply. Before and during any activity, try this: take a few minutes to breathe deeply. Exhale all the way out and breathe deeply and slowly again. Do this for two to three minutes prior to painting and see how this works for you. 

Standing and walking with gear is physically active. Be in the best shape you can be. Your paintings will thank you for it. Ramp up your activity levels now. Go Slow! But start today. Give your body the best fuel it needs to run at optimum conditions. Eat the right foods for you. There is a huge connection between our gut and our brain. If you want a better brain for better art, simply eat better food. For me, I know I have to avoid the brain-fogging glutens. Eat right and stay hydrated. The act of painting shuts off pain receptors in the brain and you don’t realize you’re dehydrated or running low on energy before it’s too late. 

Spirit: Connect, however you do, to your driving Spirit. For me, a simple prayer helps me refocus my why, my intent. Reconnect to that Spirit. Allow your faith to give you confidence in times of doubt. Do this the night before and allow your brain to work miracles while you sleep.  

Cultivate a feeling of abundance throughout your day. Temporarily hit the pause button on your scarcity feelings and that desire to always want more, Rediscover the sweetwater, refreshing taste stillness brings. Tie this feeling to gratitude. Your body, mind, and spirit, along with every brush stroke, will soar with more clarity, creativity, and insight.