'ANXIETY AND THE ARTIST WITHIN,
Finding New Meaning in Your Art'
My 3rd book on Art. ~ author/artist Vesa Peltonen
I'm an author specializing in Art. I've had a rewarding career in many art/design fields as a television art director to University art instructor throughout 40 years, but always creating my artwork. I would like to relate back my experiences that are helpful to other artists who are still having anxiety related issues. I would never would think to stop the learning process in Art especially, which I place much trust in, The book is to share my knowledge and experiences in inspiring others who may relate to my situation. I want to share my experiences in the hopes that they can relate and help you on your some angst situations causing a block in your interest and love in creating and being an artist.
As an artist, have you ever lost interest in the thing you love doing the most? Have you ever looked at a large white paper and all it did was bring on anxiety. It happened to me! I suddenly lost interest in creating watercolours several years ago, which was a passion for along time, and what occurred after was rather profound. Added to my state of being was a car accident not long after. Just when one gets moving something unexpected happens to stop, but failure is not it
I was hit by a car going through a red light. Lucky to stumble out of totalled new but well built VW, I suffered a concussion, PTSD, three neck discs compressed causing nerve pain, [requires operation, if neck has little motion]. I became disinterested in more things. I also had memory lapses and off and on depression. I don't have much memory of the 3 mts. after. Being other's fault, and needing treatment put me in a situation with no income for over 2 years, except to take funds from my Teachers' Pension plus Investments. That is still owed by insurance forthcoming via my lawyer; waiting is angst also. This incident set me back, not able to teach or freelance design, a lack of focus and multi-tasking was not to be. My mind and body lost its old schedule, decided to put me into a delayed shock waking up 4 days later with the most severe migraine nausea one could imagine. I had to see many professionals. After Cat Scans MRI and X-ray it was also concluded that I had 3 of my neck discs degenerated and caused severe pain in my neck to my left shoulder. Medication and physiotherapy was needed. After I had much fatigue, and as time went by lesser symptoms occurred, from restlessness to irritability, but migraines persisted. Soon however, something began to perk my interest back into art. One thing that helped was my doctor advising me to get away from the stressors in my environment. So I went to Toronto and Miami. It was an amazing change to a more normal state, with a happier sense about me and less migraine/neck pain. I even brought my art portfolio and sort of unexpectedly sold art in Miami. When I got back home I was looking at my older art, then with only able to exert myself so much still weak, having bouts of fatigue. However, determined with new vision, I began scanning/photographing my older art and photos inputting them into the computer and then manipulating them into new creation using the art/design applications. That began my therapy slowly and back into the enjoyment of creating art, still having chiropractic treatment, and yoga exercise for loosening sore muscles and meditative breathing to reduce anxiety attacks.
This incident set me back, not able to teach or freelance design, a lack of focus and multi-tasking was not to be. My mind and body lost its old schedule, decided to put me into a delayed shock waking up 4 days later with the most severe migraine nausea one could imagine. I had to see many professionals. After Cat Scans MRI and X-ray it was also concluded that I had 3 of my neck discs degenerated and caused severe pain in my neck to my left shoulder. Medication and physiotherapy was needed. After I had much fatigue, and as time went by lesser symptoms occurred, from restlessness to irritability, but migraines persisted. Soon however, something began to perk my interest back into art. One thing that helped was my doctor advising me to get away from the stressors in my environment. So I went to Toronto and Miami. It was an amazing change to a more normal state, with a happier sense about me and less migraine/neck pain. I even brought my art portfolio and sort of unexpectedly sold art in Miami.
When I got back home I was looking at my older art, then with only able to exert myself so much still weak, having bouts of fatigue. However, determined with new vision, I began scanning/photographing my older art and photos inputting them into the computer and then manipulating them into new creation using the art/design applications. That began my therapy slowly and back into the enjoyment of creating art, still having chiropractic treatment, and yoga exercise for loosening sore muscles and meditative breathing to reduce anxiety attacks.
What Purpose Does this Book Have?
There are so many creative people that I have read about that have lost their creative urge, not on the same happy path as before. I hope this book will help to bring out that Artist within you, as I convey my experiences and solutions for anxiety, to depression and even to the darker side of feelings off and on of a lack of hope. But as my t-shirt I created says 'I SURVIVED MY ANGST' that says much.Also the shirt has made for a good sales item, which I didn't expect that people thought was cool.This is not one of those how to make quick money as an artist, it's the motivation that will get you to find your buying audience, whether picking up from the one you had, or/and looking at better ones.
ANXIETY AND THE ARTIST WITHIN' is more about Art as therapy to re-inspire your inner creative self which has been stuck in some void psychologically or anxiety to depression and other affects keeping you from moving ahead and throwing off your schedule. It could be the fear of failure, depression, life becomes overwhelming, to too many pressures. If you have had a love of creating art then it can surely be rekindled again. That's what my book is about;- To help you relate and confront those negative blocks and longer time periods that get in the way of creativity; You can rejuvenating your mind, you can recharge and you can also move on to working on new art mediums. I once also liked doing oil painting, but even though it worked well in certain ways, it was toxic as well as a messy medium to play with, and I didn't like the drying period; I was looking for a more loose medium as which came to evolve my watercolour. Printmaking then took over that, which I have worked on many technical ways to produce prints off and on for forty years.
My March 2015 to May 15 Funding Indiegogo Campaign to raise funds for this book to be printed through me. Visit the link and Contribute, and see the great incentives as the Bonus t-shirt below.
'I SURVIVED MY ANGST'
nifty t-shirts ~Med. & Large only- $40. [Cad] [incl. tax
+ Mailing- $8]
T-SHIRT INCENTIVES for Art book contribution. These will be sold
regardless after the Funding Campaign later @ $40. {CAD]
* If interested e-mail Vesa Peltonen at: vesa_peltonen@hotmail.com
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