The Art Muse

Didn’t I just step on my soapbox and encourage patience? Well why can’t my creativity take a moment to consider a little restraint? There are times when my mind floods with ideas, projects, and inspirations and all I can do is stare into the distance and absorb everything. I try to jot down all these ideas and for the most part I capture the main ideas but I feel my muse teases me by doing this. And of course I can’t find the time to do everything, but hey, at least my muse isn’t ignoring me. I’m glad I have my artist journal with me…. most of the time.

The weekend is here and it’s time to get some work done from all the ideas I’ve collected. Keep me going my wonderful muse.

A Plea for Patience

In a fleeting moment, life can change for the absolute best or the horrendous worst and through our everyday motions I feel we need to learn patience for life. In every aspect of what we do every day, how we move through our tasks as well as the impact of our actions on other people, we need to demonstrate tolerance, be responsible, and show respect. I don’t want this post to stray too far from my art so I will say my studio definitely knows this patience concept: it’s always there when I need time to be with my creative self. And although I might feel bad about neglecting my projects for so long, I move past my guilt and begin working. I respect my art but I definitely need to be more responsible in getting in the studio more often than I currently practice. I mentioned before a topic of deadlines and I feel if achieving the goal was meant to be, then great but facing a deadline should also be a reflection of how I am as an artist and how I can juggle multiple facets of my life – and I also need to be responsible to my life outside of art.

In our time obsessed and demanding culture, it’s not easy to have patience; some may settle for the mediocre that falls into our lap because it was the easy way or we try so hard to obtain things that we forget to enjoy or explore the necessary experiences along the way. The saying goes: good things come to those who wait… but I’d like to say the best achievements come to those who work diligently. I know this seems vague and it’s meant to be so the though process can take its time to make your own personal meaning and connection. Life should not be seen as a hassle but rather an experience to build upon each day. We demand drive-through conveniences but what we need to demand is time to be human and be a part of society.

My plea for patience stems from a tragedy outside my immediate world and it made me focus on how life is so fragile. My best words of advice, or encouragement, are:
· be the best person you can be,
· continue on your journey with awareness of everything surrounding you,
· and of course practice patience every day because it’s not just a virtue, it’s a necessity in this frenzied world.

Changes

Whenever I heard the word “changes,” the mental jukebox turns on and David Bowie begins to sing:
Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes

Changes are rampant in my world and seem to trip me up when I’m unable to adapt. But what’s worse is when I know change is coming and I completely forget to prepare. Yesterday I received an e-mail from the Textile Center advertising their world’s largest textile garage sale and they only accept donations yesterday and today. Well, I knew it was in April yet I completely forgot and spent yesterday evening fast and furiously going through my fabric stash and marking them for sale. Now that I make my own fabrics, I don’t use mass manufactured textiles anymore.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

It’s good to have change and I now have access to the storage area where my fabric was collecting dust and I get a tax deduction at the same time. I began collecting mass manufactured fabric with good intention on making quilts but I couldn’t make them because I was artistically blocked for some reason and I now know why: my heart and soul didn’t like the fabric I had in my collection. My apologies to the designers but I felt the fabric had no life to them in my hands. I certainly hope the fabric finds its way to a loving home and into a wonderful art project or quilt.

I, on the other hand, will be making an art quilt this summer with my fabrics. I just hope I correctly washed out the excess dyes or it will be an interesting quilt indeed and of course I’ll say I planned the blending of dyes to happen!

Sometimes life throws you a twist and you somehow end up on your butt bruised and bewildered. It's been a hard week which has greatly affected my ability to create art. I may be on my butt but as long as I'm here, I might as well get my sketch pad and start doodling on the floor.

In other words, I'm down but not out. I refuse to let obstacles hinder my creativity.

Rainy Reds

Untitled, a photo by Megan Kamrath on Flickr.

Vintage Fabric

Everyday Creativity

I recently took an assessment online and the result wasn’t startling although how I got there from the very business orientated questions was surprising. According to the assessment, my career alignment is creativity where innovation and creativity spark my passion in the workplace. And it also identified that I am usually seen as quiet and reserved in style but can be talkative when I’m discussing a topic or concern I am passionate about.

My non-art day job is currently filled with innovative possibilities keeping the spark going each day but the creativity part is a stretch involving resourceful ways in the business sense to resolve problems. I highly value my creative skills, which is why I try to utilize them every day whether it’s doodling in my artist journal or preferably working on a project in my studio.

And this is why I post the Monday Moments as I feel it is a small representation of what I view through my eyes. Perhaps I should begin a 365-day photo project on this blog. Creativity is important for everyone even those not working in an artistic career field as I feel it can help to solve problems from an out-side-of-the-box perspective. So let’s all go to a museum this weekend to break out of the normal and look at the world from a different perspective on the walls.