Get obsessed and get to work

I hear a lot of people talk about the so-called "craziness" of artists. 

"Man, those artists are weird, they do crazy things."

Perhaps there is some level of truth to it, at least in the sense that artists and entrepreneurs or inventors sometimes get these wild hare ideas and chase them with a focus and obsession that can seem like insanity to others. Certainly there is balance between focusing on a pursuit or artistic vision and a healthy life, but there is also an admirable quality of tenacity and hard work from which we can all learn.

Dan Miller, author of "48 Days to the Work You Love" talks about becoming proficient at something by using the phrase, "Putting in your 10,000 hours first", then the real genius stuff happens. This seems a bit overwhelming, but when you find something you love, becoming obsessed and investing your time in it is no big deal.  

Below is a photograph hinting at some of my recent obsession with some drawings I've been working on for a couple of weeks. Yes, they include a lot of white pencil and I had to stop working on them today because my hand was cramping up from using only the small pieces of pencil I have remaining after sharpening and breakage have taken them down in size. Not to worry, my order of 12 white pencils of a specific brand should be arriving tomorrow through Asheville Art Supply. The drawing will recommence and (hopefully) I will be framing and debuting these drawings during Studio Stroll in the River Arts District November 12th and 13th! 

I hope you are on your journey to find your art or "future obsession", however you want to reference that thing you will end up doing with tenacity and focus and joy. Who knows, maybe it could lead to an increase in white pencil sales worldwide.