It seems lately I’ve noticed a trend on my part. I am getting increasingly frustrated with myself for not making any new artwork this summer. Summer is usually my creative time, being a teacher I am finally free and able to do what I want, although this summer I am teaching summer school. I’ve done a few photos, but nothing really all that serious. It seems I’m doing very well with looking at books and websites and blogs of other creative types and spending all of my free time doing just this…LOOKING. Is this artistic laziness?
I can rationalize that I am “filling my cup”, getting ideas and inspiration, but the reality is I am avoiding making my own art. I know that sometimes you need to stop and take a break and do your research and get inspired, but lately this is ridiculous. I also make excuses like, well I am knitting and making a sweater and learning that, but it is not the same as making art. I am also working in the garden a lot and I can somehow rationalize and see this as creative too. It is, but again it still doesn’t mean that there is new artwork flowing from my brush, scissors, printer or whatever. I have ideas… creative fantasies almost of what I want to do. So as Nike says: Just do it!!!
I think I need to just disappear for awhile and make something. Maybe a collage or a little sketch. Maybe I should just doodle in the little moleskine book in my purse. That would be better than nothing. Today when I get home from work I will disappear into the studio. I actually have one!!! Even though the floods made half of it disappear and get messed up. That’s also been my excuse. Everything is disorganized in the studio. Ok I’m back to this post and I did go into the studio and I seriously couldn’t find anything because it is all over the basement after the flood. I spent 5 hours sorting and cleaning and organizing instead of making art! I am really sick of this!!! I want to create. So why don’t I do it right now? Anyone else feel this ever? It’s the delicious pause of procrastination, the wonderful fantasy of all the unmade art that I could produce. It is so much better before I’ve made it isn’t it?
So what have I been doing instead of art? Some of the stuff that I have been looking at includes of course my flickr.com page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellafiore/
I also have been reading: Spilling Open by:Sabrina Ward Harrison http://www.sabrinawardharrison.com/ee/index.php/sabstudio/collect/ and also looking at the site of SARK, the creative writer/artist who did so many fun books. http://www.planetsark.com/ . Check these out yourself especially if you’re in an art making rut. Maybe just maybe you’ll get out. I hope I do!
Bella Fiore 