As I mentioned in my Newsletter (what? you aren't subscribed? go. now. I'll wait. done? okay!) I have 3 main things I'm focussing on for 2021 in my Art Life.
1. Art Marketing: trying to be consistent with displaying content
2. Art Challenges: using these, as they come up, to further my art practice.
3. 365 Writing Challenge: proposed by my artist friend Bridgette.
So. Yah. ART Challenges.
Then, y'know, LIFE challenges happen. Watching our neighbours to the South deal with an imploding nation. And it's really hard to stay focussed on Making Things. But I'm trying. I continue to head to the studio each day. I move things around. Repurpose some found objects. Plaster some boards. Write. Glue stuff and make marks in my journal(s). I have yet to find a head of steam ...a purposeful direction... but I know if I keep showing up, that's inevitable.
My plan is to give you a synopsis, each Friday, of what I've been writing about each week.
I'm doing a combo plate of writing with pen and ink in one journal (I called this a subversive act cuz it's been SO. LONG. since I've done that!), adding observations in my Art Journal. Using Google Docs (thanks for the recomm Bri!) when I just want to 'Get'er done!' My idea is to give an overall impression of those things here.
Something I HAVE realized this past 10 days (I started prior to the New Year), it's been a very long time since I've journalled. Not since my teenage angst years, I think, and I still have flashes of embarassment over those words. Pages and pages of blathering about how life sucked. Not to take away from it, because it really did, but more that I just. wallowed in it. I guess maybe that's what the teen years are for. Frankly? You couldn't pay me enough to go back to those days! And then, when I was creating content for an online project in the early 90s, I had to come up with short and snappy, pithy paragraphs daily. Generally no more than 3. People's connections couldn't handle more. (hmmm. maybe that was the start of rapidly diminishing attention spans?!?) And now, I'm trying to find my way somewhere between those lines. I get to a paragraph or two and my brain says, "Dude! (yes. my brain calls me dude.) Wrap it UP!" So, I'm still struggling with that.
Anyway.
This week my thoughts were all over the place. From pondering big questions...what does creating (only) from passion look like? or will 2021 really be any different from 2020? (so far. nope!) to finding some really weighty words that resonated big time in one of those "The Words You First Notice" memes ...fyi Power. Strength. Family. Purpose. Realizing I am undervaluing my artwork and how will I go about re-establishing some semblance of worth without it feeling like a giant money grab?!? Allowing myself...and Folks? this is HUGE...the generosity to fail. And continue anyway.
Many of these warrant a longer look. Some I'll likely go back and revisit. Here.
In the meantime, I hope you are able to find some peace in these extraordinarily difficult, unsettled times. And to my US friends: We feel you. We love you. Hang in there.
Until next time... xx