Saturday in the Studio – Chris Beaven
In the Studio with Chris Beaven
At a very young age my mother saw my affinity for creating images. Either when I was copying old Garfield comic strips or occasionally drawing myself or my brother she recognized something more than just idle doodling. She was the one that encouraged me to attend classes well before there were any kid friendly classes around our neighborhood. From then on creating has always been part of my life and as I’ve grown older it has become a central part of who I am. I owe it all to my mothers keen eye and insistence that I do more with my abilities.
Drawing and painting is my main source of expression of how I feel and what I want to say about the world. It wasn’t till later in life when I strayed from the creative path for years that I discovered that creating is a central part of my identity. When I wasn’t creating there was a deep empty hole in my soul. But now, through drawing, painting and helping others with their creative habits I feel complete.
Without a doubt and unequivocally my most important tool for creating at the top of my game is high quality sleep every night. Without this most fundamental of habits, one that props up all other healthy practices, I couldn’t show up day in and day out with the focus necessary to express myself within complex mediums. My daily production level before my focus on quality sleep is considerably lower than what I’m able to produce now and lacks the clarity and forethought that the work I’m producing now has.
Honestly, nothing. On January 26th 2013 I committed to doing art daily for the rest of my life. Once I committed to that practice I quickly realized the practicality of needing to create anywhere and everywhere life took me. No matter how stressful or busy my day is, no matter if I’m on vacation across the world or on a plane traveling across the country I have the means to create. From sketching on a napkin with a ballpoint pen at a restaurant, to working in a sketchbook the day after my kidney transplant, I’ve learned to create anywhere and everywhere with anything.
Putting the creative part of my life on hold for my daytime job. I need my job to provide my family and my creative habit with financial support. But I hope that one day I can replace my job with making art full time.
Losing time completely. Those elusive moments when I’m so deep into the flow of drawing or painting that I look up and hours have flown by. Regardless of what the piece I’m working on looks like after those few hours of blissful creativity have passed I revel in the process. It’s those elusive moments of deep focus and flow that I seek out every single day when I stand and address my easel.