Tick, tock - art with the clock....
Those of us who have a strong creative bent - and those who live with folks who have such a bent - know it's not just that we like to create things. We NEED to create things. I maintain it's a biological necessity just as eating and sleeping are biological necessities - I have been known to avoid doing either (or both) just to get to jump into clay, cloth, paper and paint! Anyone around me when I am prevented from creating for a longer than tolerable length of time can attest to the fact that I get WEIRD when I don't have a chance to make something. My balance is off, my needs unmet, my purpose thwarted. But, set me loose with my raw materials of choice and balance is restored, mood and outlook markedly improved.
And why do creatives get out of balance? Well - for me it usually has to do with time - as in not enough of it. Creating doesn't fit standard scheduling especially well. The growth of the idea and then the birth of the object take as long as they take. Getting lost in the process is the most wonderful way to get there, but getting lost requires open schedules and ignored clocks. Outside jobs, family needs, and general life responsibilities don't lend themselves well to free-form time use.
So, how to resolve the dilemma? My solution is to do the best I can. Use what you have, I tell my whining self. That works for materials as well as time. Working schedules out with family members, being flexible, having projects that fit into small blocks of time all help. I keep multiple sketch books and notebooks to capture ideas so I don't forget them before I have the time to work on them. I sketch, doodle, make notes & lists & memos -- visual cues and encouragement for days when time doesn't cooperate. I try to keep pieces that need finishing handwork in a basket or bag for quick pickup, with all materials needed in one place. My car, fondly dubbed the "bookmobile" is awash in magazines, books, sketchpads, and a variety of pencils, brushpens and markers. I've been known to do hand-sewn accents on wall-hangings, cut small lino blocks, attach jewelry findings, and more - all sitting in my car at lunchtime.
And when all else fails I just ignore everything and hide out in the workshop, even if all I can accomplish is to sit there and breathe in the very joy of just being in a creative space.
Crazy?? Yeah, probably, but I gotta do it! It makes my day, feeds my neon-colored inner artist child and keeps me in the flow of more and better ideas. And rumor has it ---- there are lots of you out there just like me!!
And why do creatives get out of balance? Well - for me it usually has to do with time - as in not enough of it. Creating doesn't fit standard scheduling especially well. The growth of the idea and then the birth of the object take as long as they take. Getting lost in the process is the most wonderful way to get there, but getting lost requires open schedules and ignored clocks. Outside jobs, family needs, and general life responsibilities don't lend themselves well to free-form time use.
So, how to resolve the dilemma? My solution is to do the best I can. Use what you have, I tell my whining self. That works for materials as well as time. Working schedules out with family members, being flexible, having projects that fit into small blocks of time all help. I keep multiple sketch books and notebooks to capture ideas so I don't forget them before I have the time to work on them. I sketch, doodle, make notes & lists & memos -- visual cues and encouragement for days when time doesn't cooperate. I try to keep pieces that need finishing handwork in a basket or bag for quick pickup, with all materials needed in one place. My car, fondly dubbed the "bookmobile" is awash in magazines, books, sketchpads, and a variety of pencils, brushpens and markers. I've been known to do hand-sewn accents on wall-hangings, cut small lino blocks, attach jewelry findings, and more - all sitting in my car at lunchtime.
And when all else fails I just ignore everything and hide out in the workshop, even if all I can accomplish is to sit there and breathe in the very joy of just being in a creative space.
Betsy,
ReplyDeletelove the blog.
Judy