I love this, Lindsay. I've discovered ( mostly by having it pounded into my head) that my level of preparedness deeply effects the quality of my my work.
Case in point : someone wants to come and see my studio this weekend. Monday I cleaned it down to the corners even beeswaxing the shelves. And didn't go in to it Tuesday. Yesterday, I peeked in and it was so inviting that I thought of several new design ideas that were not on my radar at all. My scaffolding was ready. I won't go in to work until next week but I FEEL the creativity coming through the preparedness.
Thank you for pointing this concept out. We need support of many different types to lead a creative life - and some we can givr ourselves.
Yes! I know exactly what you mean! The creativity does come through the preparedness! Which feels at first reflection like a creativity killer... making plans and routines, and even rules?? Structure, bleh! But there is such a calm that comes from being ready. From knowing what our creative selves need in the future and lovingly preparing the space for them. Speaking of... my studio is a disaster right now and reading this, talking it through has me thinking that I want to create more calm in that space for my future creative self. Thank you for the inspiration: "Creativity coming through the preparedness!" I love that!!
Yes! I have also lately realised that I am no longer able to simply "jump" into a project the moment it comes to me... For me this became impossible to do when I became a mother. Suddenly, there was a little being who's needs came away ahead of anything my creative juices claimed I had to do right there and then... But for years I struggled. Why couldn't I just do that thing while she napped? why was it so difficult to go from mother to maker? And yes, as incredible as it sounds it's not until recently (my daughter is now ten) that I realised there needs to be a kind of buffer, some middle ground or neutral zone, if you like. A time to build scaffolding and gather support, as you write.
These days, this looks like carving time for myself and to be in the studio ahead and making sure everybody knows and is ok on their own or with each other and the dog doesn't need to go for a walk. Sometimes it means taking myself on a coffee (and cake, guilty as charged!) date and just sit somewhere that's not my home, alone, and think, plan, write. Then, when I do get to the studio my head is clear and I can "just make".
The way this hit me: "Why couldn't I just do that thing while she napped? why was it so difficult to go from mother to maker?" THIS. Everyday. Yesterday I had an especially productive studio session while my baby napped and it filled me with such a sense of pride and accomplishment. But it's unrealistic for that to be how everyday goes. Yet that's my unspoken expectation of myself. It is a challenge to let go of that. To embrace how unrealistic it is and to ENJOY the "unproductive" days-- because there's so much value in those days too! It's so nice to know I'm not alone!
I have no idea how I missed that you replied to my comment...
It is hard, though, "to enjoy the unproductive days" - but the alternative is ending up not enjoying anything at all and resenting everything (been there, done that...).
You are definitely not alone, and, although I may be a few years "ahead" of you, I still stumble and fall. Work in progress, right?
I love this, Lindsay. I've discovered ( mostly by having it pounded into my head) that my level of preparedness deeply effects the quality of my my work.
Case in point : someone wants to come and see my studio this weekend. Monday I cleaned it down to the corners even beeswaxing the shelves. And didn't go in to it Tuesday. Yesterday, I peeked in and it was so inviting that I thought of several new design ideas that were not on my radar at all. My scaffolding was ready. I won't go in to work until next week but I FEEL the creativity coming through the preparedness.
Thank you for pointing this concept out. We need support of many different types to lead a creative life - and some we can givr ourselves.
Yes! I know exactly what you mean! The creativity does come through the preparedness! Which feels at first reflection like a creativity killer... making plans and routines, and even rules?? Structure, bleh! But there is such a calm that comes from being ready. From knowing what our creative selves need in the future and lovingly preparing the space for them. Speaking of... my studio is a disaster right now and reading this, talking it through has me thinking that I want to create more calm in that space for my future creative self. Thank you for the inspiration: "Creativity coming through the preparedness!" I love that!!
Yes! I have also lately realised that I am no longer able to simply "jump" into a project the moment it comes to me... For me this became impossible to do when I became a mother. Suddenly, there was a little being who's needs came away ahead of anything my creative juices claimed I had to do right there and then... But for years I struggled. Why couldn't I just do that thing while she napped? why was it so difficult to go from mother to maker? And yes, as incredible as it sounds it's not until recently (my daughter is now ten) that I realised there needs to be a kind of buffer, some middle ground or neutral zone, if you like. A time to build scaffolding and gather support, as you write.
These days, this looks like carving time for myself and to be in the studio ahead and making sure everybody knows and is ok on their own or with each other and the dog doesn't need to go for a walk. Sometimes it means taking myself on a coffee (and cake, guilty as charged!) date and just sit somewhere that's not my home, alone, and think, plan, write. Then, when I do get to the studio my head is clear and I can "just make".
The way this hit me: "Why couldn't I just do that thing while she napped? why was it so difficult to go from mother to maker?" THIS. Everyday. Yesterday I had an especially productive studio session while my baby napped and it filled me with such a sense of pride and accomplishment. But it's unrealistic for that to be how everyday goes. Yet that's my unspoken expectation of myself. It is a challenge to let go of that. To embrace how unrealistic it is and to ENJOY the "unproductive" days-- because there's so much value in those days too! It's so nice to know I'm not alone!
I have no idea how I missed that you replied to my comment...
It is hard, though, "to enjoy the unproductive days" - but the alternative is ending up not enjoying anything at all and resenting everything (been there, done that...).
You are definitely not alone, and, although I may be a few years "ahead" of you, I still stumble and fall. Work in progress, right?