Making Time for Creativity Despite It All

Truthfully? I'm tired this week. Finding time to produce enough work for shows and at the same time giving myself a runway to explore, innovate and be inspired has been tough the last few months. Add in a season (or six) of loved ones' needs and there are a lot of days where my greatest wish is a nap and uninterrupted studio time! Other artists have shared similar experiences, so I know finding the balance within our art practices in the face of everything going on in the world around is a near-universal struggle right now. 

I thought I'd share some of the creativity-bolstering strategies I'm trying out this year and maybe inspire myself in the process. Let me know at the next show what YOUR strategies for combatting creative and emotional fatigue are!

Schedule Tangents for Inspiration

I've put workshops and learning experiences in pen on my calendar almost every month this year so far - including Sashiko and Boro visible mending, enamel jewelry making, pine needle basketry and printmaker demos. The links and inspiration may not be direct, but taking a break from my usual work to explore opens up the opportunity to explore a "what if...."

Commit to Get Out

Along with putting learning on the calendar, I have made our local Art Walk days non-negotiable. It feels good to say "I have a prior commitment" after decades of reorganizing my life for others' convenience! Once I'm out, there is inevitably inspiration, whether in a tiny spot with marvelous color juxtaposition, an outstanding texture, or just seeing folks dressed up for a fun evening. 

Listen to What the Art Patrons See

What we put into an artwork isn't always what people see in it. When our imaginations are running low, why not explore their perspective? This week I've been looking at inkle loom patterns because of a fond memory a collector shared. I got excited all over again changing up the way I incorporate color into some of the more intricate woven elements as a result. Maybe this afternoon I'll even pull out samples that came with the inkle loom gathering dust in my studio!

Paddle in the Puddles

There are ALWAYS puddles of projects scattered around the studio, so I've decided to embrace them. Instead of closing down the creative flow to make one earring at a time, I give myself permission to lay out the supplies for future projects in a tall stack of storage containers with tiny compartments. When I'm spinning with ideas, this lets me create a palette for all of them. When I'm short on inspiration, I paddle through the puddles and re-discover what I've dreamed up.

Prepare for Chaos Days

A motivated, creatively zesty day can really go sideways with one call or email. Resenting lost creative time is easier when I can meet a chaos day with an emergency go bag with threaded needles and the ingredients for some of the repetitive elements like beaded spacers. 

Accept the Gray Brain Days

Some days just don't let us create. There's no getting around it, and I know I resent that! To reframe those days, I keep a list of not-so-creative tasks above my desk. When I don't have the mental energy to create, I know I can at least get that productive feeling by knocking one item off the list.

And finally... Rest. 

I'm learning to accept that I cannot create when worn thin. While physical rest can be lovely, I'm learning that types of rest that support my creativity include breaks from overstimulation or too much cognitive load scattering my brain, social and emotional rest where deeper authentic conversations feed my soul, sensory rest from the skitter-scatter of noise and other demands on my attention, and creative rest, which for me means uninterrupted time to follow an idea to completion. 

Here's to finding greater balance, greater creativity, and deeper joy this summer!