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Jessica Libor

~ Studio Journal

Jessica Libor

Tag Archives: arch street press

The process is the goal

29 Sunday Oct 2017

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, How To, In My Studio, Inspiration, Uncategorized

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arch street press, art, artist, artist lifestyle, career goals, entrepreneurship, goal setting, jessica libor, social entrepreneurship, social innovation

Screen Shot 2017-10-29 at 3.18.41 PM

In my studio, photo by Jessica Libor

Recently I heard a gem of knowledge that really struck me: “The process is the goal.”

This concept can apply to any aspect of your life.  In health, fitness, career, family, relationships, friendships, social life, spiritual life, or anything else you aspire to in your life.  Think about those people you know or know of who have one or more of these aspects on point in a spectacular way.  Perhaps they have the career you’ve always dreamed of–making amazing art, and getting recognition for it.  Perhaps they travel around the world and have a life of adventure that you’d love to experience.  Maybe their fitness levels seem to be unstoppable.

Whatever it is that you admire about this person, what “The process is the goal” reminds us of is that no one is perfect.  It is impossible to be in a state of perfection in anything, because as wonderful, flawed, quirky humans living in an imperfect world, perfection is not possible.  However, showing up everyday, working at it, and sharing your gift with the world, is very possible.

The athlete with the body in wonderful condition only got there by regular, hard work, grinding out each workout even when they didn’t feel like it.  Yes, sometimes a workout will feel exhilarating and fun, but other times it will be the last thing this athlete wants to do.  However, the act of going through the actions of the workout is what will change their body.  This doesn’t happen overnight, either: it’s a constant process of small choices that add up: choosing fruit instead of ice cream, choosing to get up and go to the gym at 7:30 instead of sleeping in until 8:30.  These small choices are indeed small–and one slipup really wouldn’t matter.  However, these everyday choices add up to create a very different body to live in than if that athlete had chosen a different path.  And even when the world sees the result, the athlete knows that it is not a state of perfection she is working for, it is health and performance on a spectrum, and any success she meets has to be maintained by continual training and effort.  As soon as a goal is reached, a plateau is also reached.  While it’s fine to catch your breath, the athlete knows that she must maintain her health in order to keep her current level, and push even harder than before should she wish to go further.  In this way, the process is the goal.

The same is true in an artist’s life.  We live in an instant-gratification world today.  Companies cater to our desires to have everything we want, and now.  It is a consumer mindset to think that we can buy success, health, skills, meaning, or love.  These things must be cultivated, understood and approached with a process-oriented mindset.  The goal can be switched from “having a sold out international art show” to “create one new piece per week in the studio that I am proud of”.  Can you see how one goal is externally focused on what one can get, and the other is more internally focused on what you can do and give?  This kind of process oriented thinking also puts the power back in your hands.  You are no longer seeking the approval of a gallery (outside source) but instead have the power to create a quality gift to the world.  Which, as anyone instinctively knows, is the key to success: adding value to the world.  If you create one piece of quality work per week, then, you will eventually be in a position to choose who to work with and what opportunities to take, because you are secure in your contribution.  You will have something you know is truly valuable.  There is no short cut here–to be a sought after artist with quality, enthusiastic buyers, you must become the kind of artist who puts in the work to create something of value–and people will notice.  It is not a pinnacle achievement, where one day you wake up and think “I have made it!”  Although great moments will come when you realize that your dreams are becoming a reality, that will be because of the process that you’ve followed to get there.

So I would challenge you to think of and list out the ideals you’d like to realize in your life.  Whether it is artistically related, or any other area of your life, think of where you’d like to be, and then the process that needs to happen in order for that to happen.  Then, instead of focusing on the goal so much (which can be disheartening, if it seems far away)  then focus on the process.  What would someone who is successful in that area of their life be, do, and act like?  Seek help, workshops, or other forms of training if need be, to help you realize the best process. Then, dedicate yourself to the process–not the goal.  You’ll find that the external goal will sneak up on you when you least expect it, when you’re deeply involved with the process–after it’s become a habit.

This assures as well that your goal doesn’t blind you from other opportunities.  Focusing on the process helps you to be more open to opportunities that may be even better for you than your original goal, that are along the same career path.  As Clive Gillison writes in the book Better to Speak of It, by Robert Rimm and Clive Gillison: “It’s a natural thing to be scared of uncertainty, yet liberating to know that it’s perfectly alright to feel that way.  When I was younger I wanted the same thing—certainty–and it took me a long time to realize that uncertainty can be a strength rather than weakness, because uncertainty also brings with it endless possibilities.”

It’s all about the process.  As Henry David Thoreau said,

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

Thanks so much for reading!  What kind of processes would you like to implement in your life and career?  Leave a comment below to share!   Until next time, stay creative,

Jessica Libor

www.jessicalibor.com

ps–If you’d like a step be step guide to help you discover your own voice as an artist, I’ve put together a completely free course for you!  Click here to learn more.

 

 

 

How to create a body of work in 3 months

25 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, How To, In My Studio, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Uncategorized

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arch street press, art, artist, better to speak of it, clive gillison, creative, goal setting for artists, how to create a body of work, how to get gallery representation, how to make art, pafa, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, robert rimm, social entrepreneurship, social innovation, time management for artists

open studios shot

After creating 14 pieces in 3 months, I was accepted into the MFA program I wanted to get into. Photo credit: Jessica Libor

As an artist, your primary job is creating work: work that you feel proud of, that would be thought provoking or inspiring to others in some way. You are a thought leader, someone who creates cultural ripples, no matter how small. But as an artist, you also can get caught up in the hundred other activities involved with being an artist: the organizing of work, the going to shows, taking classes, reading books, and perfecting your masterpieces slowly. Or, perhaps you have fallen into making pieces for the sake of making pieces to sell: work that you know is not your highest quality that you can make.

If you are not an artist, but are in a creative profession as well such as writing, publishing, graphic design or the like, please forgive me as I write from the perspective of being a painter. However, you can use these same ideas to create a body of your own work in your own field.

I would like to propose a two step process for creating a body of work that you are proud of in 3 months or less.

The first step is deciding on a goal. For most artists, a solid body of work is 10 to 20 pieces. Decide how many pieces that you would like to make within your time frame. When I did this, I decided on 14 pieces within 3 months. This was because 14 pieces were needed for the program that I was trying to submit to by the deadline (I did it, by the way, and got into the program!  If I can do it, so can you.)

What will your goal entail? Your goal should include a) the number of pieces you want to make by a certain date and b) the external reason. For example, your reason could be, wanting to go to New York or California and take a week to show your new body of work to galleries. For a reason like that, make it real by booking the flights three months in advance, and reserving your hotel. Now, you are invested. If you don’t make your work by that date, then you will be embarrassed to show galleries an empty portfolio, and you will have wasted your money on the trip—or just have a nice vacation! Another sample goal is getting into a residency, or an MFA program. This is also a strong incentive, because you know that if you don’t make the deadline, you’ll have to wait an entire year to submit again. Another goal could be, setting up a show with a gallery you are involved in, so that you have to make the work in time for opening night. If you don’t yet have gallery representation, then perhaps going in on a space with another artist or two, and making the deposit on the space three months in advance, so that you are locked into the exhibition. Better yet, start telling family and friends, and create an invitation page online so that people can RSVP. This creates momentum in your mind—and a good kind of pressure!

Perhaps this sounds stressful to you. I’m not going to lie—it can be stressful! Stretching yourself to a higher potential than you are currently at always involves a little stress. But I have found that by imposing an external goal, it lifts your abilities, and you are able to make work faster and better than you have ever before. Your mind goes into problem solving mode. You start making more work, faster, and yet with more precision and skill, because you know that you will be showing the work publicly. It is a different energy than creating one piece a month when you have time. It is goal driven: you must get X amount of pieces done by a certain date, or you will lose money, time, or good face.

The next step is to divide your time and energy. Let’s say you decide on 15 pieces in 3 months. That means you need to create 5 pieces per month. Weekly, that’s about 1.5 pieces per week. Woah! All of a sudden the deadline becomes less fuzzy—a large amount of pieces due at some point in the future. It becomes at least one piece per week in order to reach your goal. It becomes more urgent.

As you go through this process, you’ll notice that you begin to take yourself more seriously—and therefore others will take you more seriously, as well. So many times as creatives and artists we can get a bad rap for not being professional, or being haphazard in how we make our work, meet deadlines, and do business. When you have a tangible plan with an external goal, it forces you to be professional with your time, and manage it like you run a business—which you do! You’ll find that because you have a more structured timeline, ideas will flow more easily, and you will grow more skilled, because you’ll be painting more. And when the time comes to submit your work, take that trip to the big apple, or host an exhibition for family and friends, there isn’t a better feeling than knowing that you accomplished much more than you ever thought possible.  As Clive Gillison and Robert Rimm write in Better to Speak of It: Fostering Relationships and Results through Creativity: “. . . I always ask them what they’re passionate about, and suggest they allow that to be their guide, giving it everything they’ve got whilst keeping a completely open mind.  Then their talent and passion will lead them.”

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know your your thoughts.  What is your external goal? How many pieces would you like to make?   What is YOUR deadline?  Stay creative!  Until next time,

 

Jessica Libor

www.jessicalibor.com

How Environment Shapes Creative Work

28 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by Jessica Libor in Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

arch street press, artist inspiration, artist lifestyle, charles perrault, edgar allen poe, excess of being, fairy tales, gaugin, hemmingway, lera auerbach, paris, sleeping beauty, social entrepreneurship, social innovation, Versailles

christianbirmingham1

Art by Christian Birmingham

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there was a castle. In that castle was a king and queen who had one daughter, Aurora…

What kind of story do you expect to hear when the story begins, “Once upon a time…?” It might include royalty, knights, dragons, a princess and some magic.

christianbirmingham

Art by Christian Birmingham

But what about the author of this story? What was his life like that inspired him to write such a tale?

christian birmingham 3

Art by Christian Birmingham

The original origin of this fairy tale was written by a man named Charles Perrault, and called “The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood.” Mr. Perrault lived from 1628 to 1703 and was an author and influential literary figure in Paris at the time. He was instrumental in the construction of the Louvre, designed a guidebook for the gardens of Versailles, and served as a secretary of state. In his upbringing , he attended the best schools, and was born into a wealthy family. One can only imagine that his surroundings: rubbing shoulders with kings, queens, princesses and the explosion of creativity that was alive in Paris at the time inspired him to write such a classic, enduring tale.

Charles.Perrault

Charles Perrault, author of the first version of Sleeping Beauty

I want to introduce the idea of place and environment, and what our environment has to do with what we create as artists, writers, and creators. The author of Sleeping Beauty was influenced by gardens perhaps because of his heavy involvement with designing the gardens of Versailles—if you recall, the palace in Sleeping Beauty is overgrown by a garden overrun—of the happenings of royalty because of his familiarity with queens and kings—and with a romantic tale because of the extreme romanticism prevalent in the art and literature of the time. He let his life’s experiences seep into his writings, and created a new genre in literature derived from oral folktales, the fairy tale.

Ernest Hemmingway is famous for his blunt, bold and strong writing style, something that was developed from his years working as a newspaper writer—and the topics he wrote about: wars, violence, desolation– from his time serving in World War 1. These were all parts of Hemmingway’s environment and life that became part of his stories and legacy.

ernest-hemingway-in-milan-1918

Ernest Hemmingway

Paul Gaugin was an artist originally from Paris but because of family ties in Peru, spent much of his childhood there. He returned to France for his young adult life, but grew disheartened by the “conventional and artificial” life there. He desired something more free, more natural, so he ended up moving to Tahiti towards the end of his career to create his vision of the life he wanted. Because of his bravery and experimentation with color, his work laid the foundation for the Primitive movement in art and a return to the pastoral. However, if Gaugin had not spent his formative years in exotic Peru, would he have had the same hunger, and made the same decisions?

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Paul Gaugin

Edgar Allen Poe grew up as the child of two stage actors and struggled with tragedy in his early life, his father abandoning the family and mother dying the year after. He was taken in by a kindly family in Virginia, and had a brief career in the military before devoting his life to writing and literature. His wife died of tuberculosis shortly after he married her, and he seemingly never recovered. Truly, it was a life filled with tragedy, but Poe turned that tragedy into art, creating haunting pieces of literature that laid the foundation for the developing genres of mystery, horror and science fiction.

Original book published "The Raven" by Poe
Original book published “The Raven” by Poe
raven

But the elements that made him who he was—the artistic temperament of both of his parents, the tragedy and pain he felt, the Southern Gothic atmosphere of Richmond, Virginia…they all were part of his environment that helped create the person he became and the work he made.

There are many more countless examples, but pretty much any artist or creator that you can think of has been strongly influenced by their environment, whether they like to admit it or not. Our experiences help form who we are, as much as the choices that we make amidst those experiences. In graduate school, I began dissecting the kinds of paintings and imagery that I used again and again in my work. I returned again and again to imaged of people lying under trees—picnicking, sleeping, climbing the trees. I realized that some of my best memories from childhood were playing underneath the trees in our pear and apple orchard in the backyard, reading books, picnicking, making forts, playing, These experiences had embedded themselves in my mind so vividly that they kept coming to the surface in my art.  Do you have imagery, sounds or themes that keep coming up in your own creative work?  They may be worth examining to see where they may be coming from, even if you cannot pinppoint the origin of influence.  As Lera Auerbach states in her book Excess of Being, “Explainable doesn’t mean imaginary.”

5 The Reading, oil and gold leaf on board, 16"x20", Jessica Libor 2013

The Reading, by Jessica Libor, oil and gold leaf on panel

Some of us have memories and have experienced environments that we would rather not dwell on. To that I say, art is some of the most cathartic ways of dealing with bad past experiences, and who knows but your creation may help someone who has been through the same thing? It may be the catalyst someone needs to change.

Another thing to consider is, that if environment truly does shape who we are, then we have the power to choose our environment. What kind of art do you want to make? What kind of book do you want to write? What kind of music do you want to play?

Then, put yourself in an environment that supports that idea. Like the painter Paul Gaugin moved to the islands, you can move to somewhere more inspiring, even if it is temporary. I have a friend who lived in Philadelphia for a long time, and worked as a graphic designer. She made artwork here and there. This year, she bought a cabin in the mountains and moved there, still supporting herself part time with graphic design work, but has made an explosion of paintings that stem from the environment that she now lives in: the deep woods, the stars, the pathways and forest animals.

But what you digest in you mind also becomes part of your environment. So in addition to thinking about where inspires you, think of what. What kind of paintings leave you in awe? What kind of books? And music? Listen only to the best, learn from the best, surround yourself by what you truly admire, and your own skill will slowly but surely (yet sometimes quickly!) rise to the level you have set for it.

In my own life, I noticed that as I move into a new house and set up my studio, kitchen, bedroom, and living room, a new environment produces new ideas. A more organized studio begets a more organized mind. A beautiful place makes me want to create something that lives up to its surroundings.

May your art be true and a singing expression of your soul, wherever that place may be.

 

Article by Jessica Libor

Painting your Dreams

26 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, Uncategorized

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arch street press, artist, artistic practices, creating art, creativity, drawing, dream meanings, dreams, emerging artist, excess of being, inspiration, lera auerbach, painting, painting your dreams, social entrepreneurship, social innovation, subconcious mind

I woke up for a moment, then immediately went back to sleep because I had to see what happened in my dream.

I was in an elevator riding downward, having just realized that I had left my suitcase back up at one of the floors above. I had to reach it before the time portal closed. I pushed the buttons to bring me back up, and reached the floor where I had left my suitcase. It was there, but a different color. I grabbed it anyway and stepped back into the elevator, which was now full of people. I tried to look inconspicuous. The men had pinstripe suits on, and the women had 1940’s style hats in all different colors. As I reached the ground level, I stepped outside onto the street and walked into another time, this present time.

Around my neck was a camera that I had used to take pictures while I was back in time. I walked into a camera shop to get the shots developed, and somehow recognized that the elderly man behind the desk knew my secret. I asked him earnestly, “Is it possible, to go back and forth? Do I have to choose one or the other? Can I have a life back there, and in this present time?”

He wouldn’t answer me, but silently took my film.

I woke up. There was more to the dream, but that was what I could remember of it.

What did it mean? Does this dream have any insight into my life? Perhaps. Maybe it’s a reflection of my appreciation of other time periods, and an expression that I want to bring the charm of the past into the present. Does it have unexpected, unusual imagery present that I normally would not have imagined? Absolutely. Imagine an elevator full of women all with brightly colored hats. Imagine suitcases that changed color. The artistic possibilities are rich, all mined from your subconscious mind creating images that you would never have thought of before.

I have several paintings that have stemmed from dreams, and they always come out a little more interesting and unfathomable than works dreamt up by my daytime brain.  Artist throughout the ages have also taken inspiration from their dreams.  Take the ones below:

Henri_Rousseau_-_A_Carnival_Evening

A Carnival Evening, by Henri Rousseau

MaxErnst

Max Ernst

Max-Ernst-Everyone-Here-Speaks-Latin

Everyone Here Speaks Latin, by Max Ernst

the-furniture-of-timebyYvesTanguy

The Furniture of Time, by Yves Tanguy

Woman-with-an-Umbrella-in-an-Exotic-Forest-rousseau

Woman With an Umbrella in an Exotic Forest, by Henri Rousseau

Attainment (smaller), oil, gold and silver leaf on panel, 48"x72"

Attainment, by Jessica Libor

 

What practices that have helped me harness the imagery in my dreams into an artistic practice are:

  1. Keeping a dream journal– using writing or sketching, capture the images in your dream as soon as you wake up.
  2. Before you go to bed, only allow yourself to think positively, and go to sleep with the expectancy that your mind will show you something wonderful.
  3. Go through your dream sketchbook periodically and work out more fully the sketches that look interesting to you. Give them color and life, and see which ones might make fully-fledged artworks.

I hope this inspires you to pay more attention to your own dream imagery and helps you add another dimension to your art practice. I would encourage you to even pay attention to the negative, scary or unsettling aspects of your dreams, as they are usually your mind attempting to work out conflicts in your life, and can help to resolve decisions and choices. Often we avoid our problems or get very pragmatic while looking at them in our waking hours—but our intuition really comes out in our dreams and shows us how we really feel, whether we like it or not. I’ve heard that they are the minds way of trying on different choices and scenarios in life as a rehearsal—to show what it would be like, or show us the way. As Lera Auerbach muses wisely in her book, Excess of Being: “A coward is a servant of his fears. A hero enslaves his fears.” May you face your fears and hopes fearlessly in your dreams, and harness them to create more powerful art.

Creativity Verses Competition

01 Monday May 2017

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, How To, In My Studio, Inspiration, Uncategorized

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arch street press, art, artist, creativity, drawing, energy, giving, howto, inspiration, leadership, lifestyle, painting, philosophy, social entrepreneurship, social innovation

Screen Shot 2017-05-01 at 1.12.53 PM

When you go to work, make your art or go about your business, there are so many reasons to do a good job. Keeping your word, having a good reputation and being consistent are a few reasons. But even deeper than that, I think there are two main places people come from when they create a project: creativity, or competition.

Creativity is a pure motive. Creativity is unexpected, moving, breathing and fresh. It is unique only to you. When you’re in a place of creativity, ideas flow and you aren’t worried about what people think, or even if what you are making measures up to your standards. You let yourself feel, think and create what comes from your mind. You express your thoughts about the world, your emotions, and your aesthetic preferences without fear or striving. There is a lot of joy in being in this state. Sometimes there is a feeling of “this is too easy” or “I can’t believe that was in my brain”. There is more pleasure in making the art, because you’re in a state of making something come into being that is from a pure state, that came straight from your mind. There is a feeling of calm confidence in this state because you know that no one can reproduce exactly what you have. Your uniqueness is your strength.

Competition has a different feel to it. When you’re creating from competition, it can feel paralyzing. There is a feeling of “How can I create something that will measure up, stand out, or otherwise prove my worth?” There is a feeling of pressure, being overwhelmed, and even anger, or “I’ll show them.” When you’re in this state, you can alternate between periods of intense work, and being burnt out and overwhelmed. That’s because you’re not actually enjoying the process! You’re coming from a place of grinding out work in order to prove worth to the world. However, the world will never give you the approval you seek unless you give it to yourself first. You must believe that the work you create is enough, no matter what anyone thinks, because if you believe your art is worthwhile, then eventually other people will too.

I have created from both states, and speaking from personal experience, the art made from pure creativity is more interesting, flows better, and is a lot more fun to paint than art that is made from a place of trying to impress or show people how good I am. It is the unique visions that we need more of in this world, made with a giving spirit, rather than the work made to build up the artist. And I believe when you create from the creativity state, the goals you desire for your art will fall into place naturally because of the creativity and value you are pouring out into the world.

Below are a few ideas for sparking a more creative state:

  1. Put on your favorite music and sketch for 30 minutes. Not detailing each sketch, just getting as many ideas as you can to suggest themselves.
  2. Take a walk in nature
  3. Take a media fast from TV and consuming social media. The things we put in our mind influence our thoughts, so if you want a more pure state of unique creativity, eliminate excess entertainment
  4. Think about the ratio of producing and consuming. Strive to produce more than you consume. For instance, instead of trolling social media, maybe create an interesting post for your followers and leave it at that. Or instead of watching TV, research some ideas for your next artwork. Producing things, even in a small way (keeping a diary, going for a walk, sketching, giving a friend a call) keeps your mind more active, and stimulates creativity. It also gives you better sleep, because the mind has been more active.
  5. Travel somewhere new. It doesn’t need to be somewhere far—take a new route home from work, visit a park near you, go for a hike by a nearby river. Unfamiliar situations can jog the creative mind as well.
  6. Create a goal for yourself and stick to it. Let it be simple at first, like creating something everyday, even if it’s a small sketch. This is different than competition, because you are just giving your creativity a framework to work with. Don’t go to bed without having ticked off this simple goal for each day.
  7. Take ideas from your dreams. Keep a dream sketch journal and write or sketch your thoughts from the dreams you remember.
  8. Keep it fun! If it stops being fun, it means you’re out of the flow state of creativity. Let yourself get back to making art for the pleasure of creating, and the best, most unique art will come out of that.

I hope these ideas help you in your creative journey, fellow artists and artisans! Go forth and create with joy. As Lera Auerbach writes in Excess of Being, “Angels of daring, I call upon you!”

Speaking of creativity, I have started a new channel for my artwork, a Patreon page. Patreon is a way that patrons and supporters of my art can get monthly, exclusive rewards like prints and original art for being my patron. To check it out, please visit www.patreon.com/jessicalibor. Thank you readers for your support and enthusiasm for my work. I hope this writing was in service to you! I will leave you with my latest artwork, “Magic Garden,” an ink on watercolor paper drawing that was definitely done in a creative state.

Screen Shot 2017-05-01 at 1.12.37 PM

“Magic Garden,” ink on watercolor paper, 9×12″, Jessica Libor 2017

 

Until next time,

Jessica

Revelations of Traveling

16 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, In My Studio, Inspiration, Journeys, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

arch street press, bern, city of fountains, philosophy, social entrepreneurship, social innovation, switzerland, travel, venice

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image

Venice

This month  I had the great fortune to travel to Switzerland, Italy, and Greece.  This marvelous stroke of good luck was sponsored by a company–sending a friend of mine on business, and me as a lucky and grateful plus one.

Honestly, I didn’t think much about if the trip would change me.  I was too busy tying up loose ends at home and preparing for the trip to think about it.  And finishing a large commission for a restaurant, curating an exhibition, and exhibiting a show of my own at the hospital all had me busy to the point of distraction right up until the night of.

We began the long journey to Switzerland the next day–a taxi ride, and a 7 hour flight, two hour train ride, and another taxi.  We arrived at night, tired and jet lagged, and didn’t get a chance to see the full impact of the city until the next day.  We were staying in Bern, Switzerland,  what is called the city of fountains, for its hundreds of preserved and working fountains found throughout the city.  From where we were staying, you could see the Swiss Alps rising above the green hills beyond the rooftops, the river winding through and reflecting the sky as it has for centuries.  From the rose gardens you could see the red clay rooftops of the city pile up on each other in neat, twisty rows, little tendrils of smoke wafting up into the sky.  It was brisk weather, but enjoyable–I spent hours painting the landscapes from the gardens, and down in the city, the cathedrals.  What I found the most interesting about each of the places we visited was the way that they felt.  Each country, and even city, seems to have its own unique flavor and culture, a mood that you get walking through it.   I noticed how the Swiss acted: they were quiet, but seemed happy, not an especially boisterous people, but with a great deal of personal dignity.  Talking with some of the citizens there, most of the people seemed extremely happy with their life, and happy with thier government.  For all its gingerbread, fairy-tail beauty, though, Bern was a practical city.  People in suits rushed about during the day, and the tourists were not obvious.  It was not particularly artsy, either, at least as far as  I could see.  There seemed to be a celebration of commerce in modern life, and art was mostly relegated to the museums and postcards, a historical novelty.  I did happen across one particularly wonderful exhibition in a gallery tucked out of the way–an Asian influenced artist, Tran Phuc Duyen, who recently died, leaving an attic full of undiscovered works.  He lived in the attic of a castle within Bern for forty years of his life, sponsored by a wealthy patron, working in gold leaf resin.  His early works were detailed and magical, his later works, inspired by meditation, were simple, stunning, luminescent.

Early work of Tran
Early work of Tran
Late work of Tran
Late work of Tran
My watercolors done in Switzerland
My watercolors done in Switzerland

Venice was the next stop. When first coming off the train and seeing my first glimpse, I thought I must be looking at a painting, or a movie set.  This place couldn’t possibly be for real.  It was too ornate, to unbelievable, sitting over the turquoise waters with its arches and parapets.   But it was real, and as we rolled our luggage through the puddled streets, I realized that it was ALL like this, not just a small part.  It truly felt like stepping back in time.  A city built starting in the 5th century A.D., it was quite old, and you could feel the ancient history pressing in on you as you walk through: the windows that have seen a million things, good and bad, the revelers, the masked mobs, the wars, the loves, the corruptions.  It was almost eerie how little in the place was modernized.   For the few days we stayed there, I soaked up as much of the city as  I could.  There seemed to be endless things to see.  The museums alone could take up a month of days.  For me, the strongest impression came when  I visited the Doge’s Palace (another name for their government) and St. Mark’s Basilica in one day.  First, St. Mark’s Basilica–unbelievably ornate, with four marble horses perched atop its high balcony.  When I stood inside, I felt as though a thousand years were housed there, in this church, and the heaviness of the feeling struck me.  It was hard to breathe in there, and one felt a certain atmosphere of mystery.  It was dark, the ceilings high and patterned with millions of reflective tiles, and yet the shadowy feeling was strong.  I felt like Indiana Jones–like I might step on the wrong tile and a trap door would open up, or the bones of Mark the Apostle would be revealed (they are housed there on the altar).  I can still go back there to that hushed, heavy atmosphere in my mind.  It was there that I started to realize just how old the city was, and feel the weight of the ages on me.

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Inside the Basilica

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Etching of the fire

In the Doge’s Palace, I went through the rooms not knowing what to expect.  I went through room after room elegantly carved and painted, reading the plaques of what happened there, what bodies of government, and certain historical facts.  One particularly interesting fact was that with certain jury bodies in Venice, everyone was required to wear masks.  I had always thought of the Venice masks as more of a party, revelry-style accessory for fun, but to learn that government bodies used them for hundreds of years in order to protect the judges from identification, was fascinating.  As I walked through the halls, I came across a small drawing of a fire that happened in the palace.  It was drawn from the square, and showed fire coming out of the windows and buildings cracking and falling, and people running.  It was so detailed and felt, that all of a sudden I realized that THIS HAD HAPPENED, not just in history books, but this city had a history of centuries and centuries before me.  All these people had lived and died here, people like me, who worked and dreamed and loved and fought and hoped.  I realized I was connected, like the people who had gone before me had lived, and had passed the baton to me, to you, to this living generation.  It’s hard to describe, but it’s like my mind and body realized all at once how long history was, how many people had lived, and actually felt and realized it, not just knew it in my head.  It’s as Lera Aurbach says in her book “Excess of Being”, “Time doesn’t change.  Time stands still.  We change. We pass. We are passing time.”

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I was still wondering from this revelation as I wandered into the next room, and stared in awe.  It was the most ornate, overly-decorated, mammoth of a room I had ever seen.  The ceiling, even though it was high, seemed to press down on you, because of the amount of gold leaf, carvings, and paintings on it.  I turned around and saw the staggeringly huge Paradise painting by Tintoretto, his last major work.  I stood marveling at the magnitude and quality of the artwork surrounding me, and was humbled by the realization that this was done hundreds of years ago.  Could we, with all of our mobile accessories and distractions and Netflix and computers and technology, come close as artists to the passion and dedication needed to complete such a task as this?  Perhaps, it is because of this lack of distractions, that work like this could be completed with such intensity.  And what will I, what will you do, to bring value to the human race as this has?  The question I asked myself not harshly, but gently, for when much is given, much is required of us.  We are blessed with a more cushioned life than most in the US in this century–longer lives, healthier bodies, more education, easier transportation and workload.  What, then can we give back to others, to society, to make the world even better?  This is the question I ask of myself, and of everyone else alive today, to make use of the time we have been given, while we hold the baton.

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At the Teatro de Venice, the oldest opera house

 

 

Lead with Love

04 Sunday Dec 2016

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, beauty, Inspiration, Journeys, Uncategorized

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arch street press, art, artist, creative, dreams, inspiration, leader, leaders, leadership, social entrepreneurship, socialinnovation, vision

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Spring, by Millet, 1873

Recently I have been thinking a lot about leadership.  In my lifetime I have worked under people, managed people, been a pupil in a classroom setting, been the teacher in the classroom setting, and many variations within.  In all of these settings dynamics of energy are present that make you excited to be there, or dread being there.  As I thought more about it, I realized that this good or bad energy was created not by the ease or difficulty of the workload or the physical environment, but by the quality of the leaders.  What strikes me is that with good leadership, you don’t even notice you are being led–because you are so excited to be on this person’s team, and their good energy is contagious.  So what are some of the traits of someone who leads people with excitement, creates loyalty, and brings out the best in people?

  1.  They are passionate about what they do.  This is a basic first step.  If someone is passionate about what they do, it raises the excitement level of everyone around them.  People are pulled upwards and inspired by the person’s passion–or love–for an idea or project. Even if there’s no technical position of leadership, these kinds of people will be natural leaders because people will gravitate towards their passion.  Everyone wants to feel alive, and if someone it totally awake and alive in what they do, they’ll create a trail of people excited by their energy and wanting it, too.
  2. They are trustworthy.  When they say they will do something, they follow through, no excuses.  This creates a trust, a feeling of stability, and avoids resentment for people who depend on your leadership.
  3. They treat people with respect.  From the youngest student, to the janitor, to the president of a company, the best leaders treat everyone with the same level of respect.  This creates the feeling like you are SEEN when they are in their presence, and this powerful experience of being seen and respected can by the biggest catalyst of growth for people who may have never had it to that level before.
  4. They take responsibility.  They shoulder what is theirs to carry, and hold others accountable in a kind way for carrying their own responsibilities.
  5. They are open to feedback.  You feel like you could go to them with concerns, questions and ideas and they would be receptive, not shut you down.
  6. They retain their humility.  They understand that they are human like everyone else, and the world does not revolve around them simply because they are in a position of influence.  They retain their empathy for people and create an environment of caring.

So how do you measure up?  How do I?  Like most imperfect people, I can think of times where I’m proud of how I led, and other times that  I wish I could relive in order to fix.  Writing this list makes me want to be more conscientious of my actions…but not so conscientious that it paralyzes.  I still believe that THE most important quality of leadership is the passion.  As long as you have that, everything else is the icing on the cake.

As is quoted in Robert Rimm and Clive Gillison’s  book Better to Speak of It, “What we’re really all involved with doing is trying to wrestle dreams into reality.”

A beautiful description of an ideal leader, exciting the people around him with his own vision until it becomes their own.

 

 

 

 

Young Involved Philadelphia

11 Friday Nov 2016

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, Uncategorized

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arch street press, art, citizen, civic engagement, PHiladelphia, social entrepreneurship, socialinnovation, young involved philadelphia

1th

This November at “The Rock School,” a prominent performing arts school in central Philadelphia, an organization called Young Involved Philadelphia will host its 7th Annual State of Young Philly at annual Civic Engagement Fair.  Attendees  will have the opportunity to meet and greet with dozens of organizations representing the most innovative non-profit, governmental and advocacy groups in Philadelphia. These innovative non profits help to make Philadelphia a better place for all by providing for different unique needs of people groups within the Philadelphia region.
Each participating organization will have representatives present to introduce you to their organization’s mission, tell you about their upcoming events, and recruit new volunteers and committee members.

The Young Involved Philadelphia organization will be partnering with Students Helping Students to collect supplies for local public school. Attendees are encouraged to bring a donation of Dry Erase Markers, White Copy Paper, Notebooks, etc. with them.

The Young Involved Philadelphia group is a nonprofit organization that promotes active citizenship and emerging leadership among young Philadelphians.  YIP strives to:

  • Engage young citizens through opportunities to explore Philadelphia and participate in civic affairs
  • Connect young Philadelphians and local civic groups
  • Represent young people by strengthening channels of communication with the city’s leadership

I have been to this event last year when they hosted it at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and found it stimulating and inspiring to talk to so many people and organizations who are doing good for the city.  The location that they choose for the event it always beautiful and encompasses the arts.  Please consider looking into the Young Involved Philadelphia to see how you can be a voice for your city.  Follow this link to their website to take a look: http://younginvolvedphila.org/

 

 

 

The artist’s role in society

30 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, beauty, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle, Uncategorized

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advice for artists, arch street press, art, artist, beautiful art, beautiful paintings of women, beauty, Bible, calling, classical realism, creative, culture, drawing, dress, female artist, inspiration for artists, jessica libor, lera auerbach, painting, pay, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, philosophy, profession, queen victoria, service, society, thoughts, winterhalter

queen-victoria-1842-1 by winterhalter

“Queen Victoria,” by Winterhalter, 1842.  Victoria’s job was to lead her people well.

Recently I’ve been thinking about professions, pay, and service.   Why do some professions pay more than others? For instance, why does a doctor get paid more hourly than a barista?  This has nothing to do with the worthwhile efforts of either of the people holding these jobs.  You could be the best barista on the planet, make the best cup of coffee in the world and serve it with pleasantness, with a design in the foam of your own making.  However, as long as you stay a barista, you will not be compensated for your time and expertise in the way that a doctor will.  Why?

Because people need doctors.  “But I need coffee!” you may exclaim.  You may feel that you need coffee, and you may be addicted to coffee, but you do not need coffee to survive.  However, if you had health issues that needed fixing, you would need a doctor.  A doctor meets a need that the world has.  Many times, a very urgent need.   There is also the skill level that is necessary to become a doctor, one that takes into account years and years of intensive, difficult study and exacting practice.  Enough practice that the doctor can then do what they do best, whether it is general practice or surgery, and feel confident enough that they will not mess up.  You can’t just wake up tomorrow and be one.  It requires decades of planning and dedication.  This service they provide to mankind makes them valuable.   No offense to Baristas here–I love coffee! 🙂

This got me thinking about art and the profession of an artist.  Why would someone become an artist?  At first glance, it seems that making art serves no direct purpose to mankind.  Does it make you healthier?  Safer?  Smarter, calmer or wiser?  Perhaps a little.  Is it simply to amuse?  To inspire?  To send a political message?  There are too many kinds of art to say that all art is for one purpose and one purpose alone.  As varied as there are people on the earth, so are the many kinds of artworks and motivations of the artists that make it.  But the highest paid artists are usually the ones with the strongest vision and best work–so in the same way that doctors are compensated for their service, artists are compensated for their vision.  The more compelling the vision, the greater the contribution to mankind.

Proverbs 29:18a of the Bible reads, “Without a vision, the people perish.”  Perhaps it is we as artists who take our profession too lightly.  It’s a lot of fun to paint, to sculpt, to create things out of your head.  This enjoyable aspect of creativity has given some artists guilt over making a profession out of something they enjoy so much.  But have we as artists ever truly stretched ourselves to find out what the capabilities of our creativity are?  Most of us are capable of far more than we imagined.  It is the job of artists, and creatives, to make this vision in the culture we live in today.  Because it’s vision, hope, imagination that make life worth living.  If you look at it that way, an artist’s job is one of the most important jobs in society of all.

Do you feel called to be an artist?  If you feel that it is a calling, then what if you thought of it also as a responsibility to the world?  That you, not doing your best, would be taking away something great that mankind would otherwise have without you.  Are you truly doing your best?  As Lera Auerbach states in her book Excess of Being: “The gap between good and great is much larger than between good and bad.”  What if you created not for the fame, accolades, fortune or respect, but out of a duty to give your best to the world?  To not think of it as an indulgent thing, but in a service-minded way.  Your art serves a purpose, a unique purpose only you can fulfill.  It is up to you to discover what exactly that is, fulfill it, and give it to the world.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and start the conversation!

By Jessica Libor, June 2016

 

 

 

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