The Blog Carnival….a group of jewelers get together via the web, once a month, to post on a topic that has to do with jewelry. It’s a fun way to hear different opinions from wonderful artists. Hope you’ll visit their sites and read their great blogs.
This picture is available in Blandy Snorhal’s Etsy shop. It’s a 5″x7″ photo for $8.
Didn’t you just love to pet the carousel horses? The were so pretty!
Rituals- Do you have a particular process that helps you to tap into your creativity, complete projects on time or any other ritualistic habits?
Yes, of course! I do have to clean my bench first. Perhaps I studied too much Feng Shui while studying Interior Design in college. I am not one that can work in clutter. I also have a small collection of candles from Anthropologie that get my mind in the right place. I love music but am not an audiophile or savy with the computer so I am clueless about getting the right songs on my ipod. So I usually have HGTV, DIY or Bravo playing in the background. It’s important to engage the five senses as much as possible. If you don’t have a trigger, I recommend making a list of 5 sensory things that you enjoy to create a trigger for you and your time to play at the bench (bench being referred to as any work space).
Rituals or triggers are important. I’ve written about this before, but it’s important to have your workspace be a sacred place where you go to work. A place that’s just for your art. If you use a dining table, it’s even more important to have a way to change that table so it becomes your sacred space. You can have a special table cover, tray, etc. Triggers are used by athletes, musicians, etc to get them ready to perform. The baseball player gets up to the batting plate and adjusts the velcro on his gloves and taps his cleats with his bat. This is a trigger for him to get his mind in the right “frame”. Creating a trigger is encouraged by coaches to youth athletes. Why? It works! We need to be able to signal our right brain that it’s time to play. Go away left brain….go have a nap!
For me the last important ritual to completing a project is yes, a deadline. Its unfortunate, but I work by deadlines. I regretfully have such a lack of time that I only work if I have a deadline. My t-shirt motto is “one deadline at a time”. So many things are created from a place that I wish was more relaxed and it was born from actual play time. Most of the pieces I create when there are no deadlines, never get finished. I have tons of ideas, sketches and plans that never are materialized. I have a whole drawer full of Master’s Registry pieces that reallly just need a final once-over and then get fired. However, the deadline came and went and they went into hibernation! Now in my mind there is no need to finish them. Another element for me is that the process in making the art is more important to me than the final outcome. I have no attachments to pieces because of this. It’s a cathartic process for me to make art. Another reason for a drawer full of unfired work. Ahhhh, I digress :-0
One day I’d like to be able to develop a line of work for sale. To be able to play to create work that has a final purpose other than for a magazine article, book, or technique sample. That is my ultimate goal. I started out as selling artist, moved into a supplier role and teacher, and have had a difficult time getting back to the selling artist role. It’s a goal I’ve had for many years. Perhaps 2009 will be the year. However, with all the exciting things we are planning at WLW, I think it will maybe have to wait until 2010. I am envious of those of you who can just create to create! Savor that gift and make something special today!
What rituals do you have? Post a comment for me 😉
Read these other great Carnie’s blogs:
Loving this post!
I’m a deadline driven girl too 🙂
If I want time to “create” I HAVE to tidy my workspace first. Otherwise I see the charm, piece of chain, stones etc waiting to fulfil a customer order and then guilt overcomes me…..
I know I’ve given myself plenty of time to make something creative and STILL make that commission, but mum drilled into me work first play later….(except when work IS play, like me doing the job I love).
So it’s Paying play first, creating play later, lol
Nic xx