Blooming slowly
One of my recent experiments in my sketchbook
I am just starting to feel awake as an artist in the new year. I know I am taking my time. But I am ok with that.
Because the job of an artist is not to make are as if working on a conveyor belt.
But to be inspired by the world around them. And see what needs to happen.
I needed to slow down. I needed to processes the overwhelm of all the expectations of life, and all the work involved in being an artist these days.
The art making, the marketing, the promotion, the opportunities, the databases, the planning, the learning and growing…
It’s a long list that I was not up to dealing with all at once. And so I slowed down.
I decided to focus on the inspiration, and the learning.
Because without good art, there is no art business to work with.
My sketchbook, my drawings, my photographs became my starting point.
I have been playing. I have been experimenting. I have been listening to my heart and moving in the direction in points me in, one day at a time.
I may be taking it slow, but I am not stopping the growth. In fact, I believe, the growth needs time and space…time not dedicated to serious finished work. Time where silly experiments are allowed to happen.
And now that a month and a half has passed, I am full of ideas. My sketchbook is filling up. My studio was is covered with my experiments.
I see them as little blossoms of my time spent nurturing my ideas, and growing my skills.
The fruit of these blooms will come when its time. The fruit of finished work made in ways new to me. Work that is experimental and little bit beyond what I was capable of a few months ago. Work that will grow me as an artist and a human just that little bit more.
Right now, I am happy with my little blossoms. They show me promise. They bring me joy.
I cannot rush when the fruits come. They will come when I am ready to make finished work. And no sooner.
Until then, I will keep playing and making more blooms…because they bring me joy.
And joy is a great place to get the spark from.
