What!? Time passing isn't enough for your life's purpose to be exposed!? No, unfortunately, that's not how it works. Simply waiting gets you no closer to your goals (or figuring out what your goals are) than you already were.
Have any of you makers out there ever gone through a phase where you haven't made much of anything, and it just seems like a huge hassle to get out your supplies, open your sketchbook, or actually think about what you might like to do today, let alone for the rest of your life? You just have too much going on, too many social engagements, 40 + hours a week dedicated to your job, a family to spend time with, laundry to do... Or maybe you're just plain frightened of what might happen (good or bad). Surely I can't be the only one who's been there (or is trying to move away from that place).
Here is my great hope: when I start making something - any little thing - I become engaged with what I am doing. The pleasure of making opens me up to new sparks of inspiration. I have found time and again that one act of creativity leads to another and yet another. It could be using a new spice in a favorite dish, re-using a found object as a decorative piece in your living room, coming up with a great new method for teaching an art technique, or waking up in the middle of the night with an idea for a blog post. It could be anything. Sometimes I feel stuck exactly where I am, but I know all these little movements add up to big changes in the way I live my life, treat myself, and continue to identify myself as an artist.
Yes, I'm still a mess when it comes to organization, time management and fitting it all in (Lord, help me!) - and I'm certainly moving in directions I couldn't have foreseen five years ago - but I feel really good about some of the recent decisions I have made in the direction of living more creatively. That is why I am so drawn to this quote this week. It fits right in with the DIY ethos.
What quotes are you drawn to this week? Whether you are an artist or an astronaut, what small creative changes are you making now that will lead to big changes in your future?
Alison :)
"In Creative Endeavors, Luck is Skill." - Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit
ReplyDeleteI am trying to sharpen my skills! I am practicing, practicing, practicing. I am making myself DRAW. I'm picking up techniques.
I wrote a bit about it here, which you might have seen: http://www.aestheticlovestory.com/2012/01/making-goals-draw-shoot-print.html
Thanks for inspiring me, Alison! Reading this post with a cup of jo has been a super nice way to start the day, the week!
Xo
Thanks, Dianna!! I really appreciate that!
DeleteGood for you for making yourself learn (or relearn) techniques. It's good for the brain, and it's good for the hand. That is what I meant to put in this post but didn't - it's the act of creating on a consistent basis that strengthens your work and keeps you motivated. I read your post and found it to be inspiring and encouraging. I made some rings over Christmas Break (which I have been meaning to post), and I decided making a ring a day would be a good exercise for me - They are small, yet there is opportunity for a lot of variation. Plus, since I am making them from found fabrics, they very much fit within "The Junk Revival."
I like your quote, and I also feel like it could be changed to the following: "In Creative Endeavors, Luck is Networking." I guess networking is a skill... :)