There are days/weeks/months when the "artist" in me dries up and disappears. Or perhaps the muse shifts to another aspect of my life and becomes somewhat active there.
Right now, we are between buying/selling; moving/arriving; undoing/making new; tossing out/retaining what is good. The "in betweens" are strange places - they are neither here nor there, but somewhere in between.
The time/space contiuum is an interesting concept to rifle through when I'm in the "in betweens." There is a "place," for lack of appropriate language, that exists outside time and space. That, too, is "in between." It's the place I go in deep contemplative meditation or the place I am when I am creating art.
As of late, I've only been creating lists! Lists of insurance agents with auto and household rates; lists of moving companies with their wildly assorted estimates; lists of things to complete with regard to our flood claim; lists of people to contact with our new address; and many more lists you don't even want to know about - lists ad infinitum! Or so it seems to me this evening. I'm tired of collecting estimates, speaking to lawyers and realtors; but the worst is packing books and art supplies instead of using them!
I've steadfastly refused to pack my fabrics & threads, sewing machines and batting - but I haven't used any of those items since last September! All my creativity is being drained away by the task of creating a new life in a new town in a new state. And that is a GOOD thing, of course. But I'm starving for a colorful palette, needle and thread, tactile fabrics, and textures... I'm thirsting for pen, ink and paper or watercolors and d'Arches papers... I'm drying up without the nourishments of the art media.
However, as I write this it seems obvious to me that I can change my situation. I can choose to paint, draw, cut, paste, sew and more. I needn't set up my entire studio - I need only pick up something and start!
Happy Spirng! Happy Easter! May blooming be in your heart, mind, and spirit.
PAT's ART JOURNAL - Inner musings with a focus on art, family, nature, and spirituality...
3 comments:
i spent 10 months building a house and now another month just recouping. I gave myself permission to not create. I fulfilled my creative urges by choosing fixtures, paint colors, etc. You have to be able to step back from being creative. It will come back and you will be better in the long run.
the word dry sounds very nice here in soggy missouri, enjoy the getting rid-of moments.
I identify with exactly your experience though we are behind you a bit. Still trying to sell our home, yet to declutter I packed up most of my paint and fabric months ago. Perhaps not surprisingly, the few projects I kept out I am actually finishing. This as opposed to continuing to start new things or feel overwhelmed by all my supplies and possibilities staring at me. So I agree - it is a chance to look at your situation in a new way. I wish you luck in adapting and finding ways to create amidst your transition.
Post a Comment