Last night, I was invited as a guest tutor to teach a lovely art group who have been meeting for twenty years.
I decided to use the two hours to attempt to teach something about Alexander Technique in relationship to art making. An experiment for me and a bit of a risk as it was not what they were expecting. Luckily they were open to the idea.
Over the past twenty five years teaching the Alexander Technique I have taught just about every other application of its brilliance at improving performance and well being, in particular working with musicians and horse riders, but have never taught artists the thing that lies in the background of my own artwork and keeps my creativity flowing. The Alexander Technique definitely helped me to release my creative flow and confidence which was blocked after art school.
This morning, as I contemplate what I forgot to say, what I could have said and how I could have progressed the experiments on paper further to awaken and excite the unique creative brilliance that I believe lives in each and every one of us, my own blocks reveal themselves.
I wonder if I can teach art and the Alexander Technique further and if so how best to do it? Somewhere in the back of my mind I would like to write a wee book. By teaching last night I clarified that I am blocking the idea by my own thoughts of not being capable of doing this – thoughts of not being a good enough writer, not knowing how to teach art despite being a painter, not knowing how to self publish or the clincher, thoughts that no-one will be interested. You know those unhelpful thoughts that we all have!
Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to just get on and do it – to be brave and at least attempt to bring my ideas on the creative process out into the world, whether they are good enough or not! These long dark days of winter are a perfect time to at least show up and make a start!
So a quick blog as a thank you to a wonderful group of artists, (I am banning the word amateur from their vocabulary) for giving me the opportunity to learn on Halloween too.
Love Kirsten
