“Art tends toward balance, order, judgment of relative values, the laws of growth, the economy of living – very good things for anyone to be interested in.” — Robert Henri
Order comes down to a few simple things:
Priorities
Making art is a priority. If you’re an artist, that’s your craft. Focus on it. Spend a majority of your time there. (Trust me on this). If you want to live authentically — “AAA” living — then you must create because that’s your job, your destiny, your responsibility. Drop the unimportant stuff and align yourself to the goals YOU KNOW will make you a wiser, healthier and happier person. Have a vision. Keep it in mind.
Workflow
Work in order. If you don’t know how, find out how. Seek professional advice. Order always implies a game plan. Preparation is important but so is performance. Flow matters. Your workflow is more than a methodology, it’s a tool for alignment and a safety net. Although each challenge requires a sharp, attentive mind to deal with the new, having a solid workflow prevents chaos both within and without. Keep things simple. Because doing art is hard. Doing it without a well-honed and established workflow is even harder.
Effort
Work diligently. Will matters here. Courage matters here. Discipline matters here. This is where agency is applied. Never lose focus of the priorities of your task. Don’t misalign your energies. And don’t underestimate the forces (resistance) that will fight you. But don’t be afraid. If you have limited resources become resourceful. Be cool and be strong. Move forward. Always keep moving forward.
Time
It takes time for good things to happen. It takes time to build skill and talent. It takes time to develop the sensory acuity required for great work. Give yourself space and time for things to brew. Allow the results to come when they will. Don’t force it. Never rush. Give yourself time to learn from your mistakes. Be patient with yourself. Live in the moment when you work. Live just as attentively when you’re finished with work. But do not confuse attention with strain. Genuine attention will free you from the boundaries of time.
“Free artists are those who, with great difficulty, create order themselves. The more chaos they must bring order to, the stricter their rules will be, and the more they will have affirmed their freedom.” — Albert Camus