Drawing my think.

Australian artist John Olsen...

Im always fascinated by the lives of other artists.  

I love to hear how other creative types try to eek out a living, tap into their creative spirit, and balance their passions with the demands of day-to-day existence. 

In years gone past the apprentice artist would be guided by a master artist who would be older, wiser and stable in their living - able to give artistic instruction and sage advice to the would be artist. And I guess that's why I love reading about the lives of older creatives as they have LIVED it. Through all their triumphs and mistakes they are still practising their craft. 

Take, for example, 83 year old Australian artist John Olsen.

Whilst reading this story on him in The Good Weekend Magazine I collected these quotes from him that I love...

"There's no poetry in skimming the Internet. We have this explosion of information, but where is the the parallel explosion of wisdom?"

Olsen with wife Katherine... and below... a self portrait drawing, and a work in progress

Aeons ago, when Olsen taught a children's art class, he asked a six year old boy what he was doing. "I'm drawing my think", the child replied. "What a perfect answer", says Olsen. "And that's what I try to do too - I'm painting my think".

I LOVE looking at artist diaries... always interesting to get to the heart of an artists' creative thoughts...

"One benefit from growing older is that I gained the confidence to learn from my failures, so I never give up. Investigating your failures enlarges your capacity to create. ... My failure rate is still 20 to 1... But Ill start afresh each day, with an inner voice that says, 'Go on, go on', knowing that I will eventually break through". 

A beautiful Life
Writer : Janet Hawley, Photography:Tim Bauer
Good Weekend, Sydney Morning Herald, December 10-11, 2011, pg. 15-18