I am not completely feeling the creativity vibe right now. I can’t tell you how many layers and veneers I’ve cobbled together and rejected. It’s getting frustrating. There’s a lot going on right now by way of distractions and I am sure that has a lot to do with my frustration. But I also think I am being held back by the pressure to make work to sell. One of the big things that keeps holding me back from selling my work in other than a very limited way is how stifling I find the whole process. The design process starts to be influenced by what I think will appeal to others and by the production process. I don’t mean production in the true sense of the word. It’s just that the process of making pieces takes over from the design for me and then my work suffers.
It would probably help if I got The Artist’s Way back out soon. I am trying to keep doing a bit of work here and there just to keep some creative force flowing. Making metal base pieces is pretty captivating as it involves a lovely dose of pounding and sawing. Purely physical artistic actions are freeing to me, a balm to the brain. It’s the polymer portion that has me stymied. I have got a couple of simple textured and glazed pieces in process that I’m happy with, but simple is all I can manage at the moment apparently.
This creative process is a pretty bizarre thing.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Karen 09.01.07 at 9:32 am
Hi Libby, Thanks for sharing your thoughts about creativity and selling your work. Your post stirred up a lot of thoughts. Like you, I have had my share of feelings surrounding selling my work. Even though I do it on a very part-time basis, I still feel it influencing how I create. I love to create pieces for friends and family but sometimes find that process dictated more by the recipient, especially when they change their mind about materials during the process. I tend to gravitate towards creating more complicated pieces and would like to explore creating simple pieces. Why do I feel that the more complicated a piece is, the better it is? The perfectionist in me? An interesting question. Enjoy the simple polymer pieces you have created. They sound like the perfect companions for your beautifully textured metal pieces. Thanks again for sharing your fabulous art and thoughts about the creative process and life. -Karen
Libby 09.01.07 at 10:02 pm
Thanks Karen, my creative mojo seems to be a fragile thing and easily derailed. LOL Any kind of outside pressure tends to make me edgy and slows down my creativity. I am sure I’d have a horrible time creating custom work.
The simple versus complex question is something I wrestle with a lot. It’s really hard to stop at simple and call it complete.
patti 09.05.07 at 10:07 am
Libby,
Another book I found helpful on the topic of outside pressures is called Art and Fear. I can’t remember the authors names and that is one of those books I loaned and never got back. ( and I don’t remember who I loaned it to so I could ask for it back)
Good luck with the gallbladder surgery. A friend of mine had it done in a more emergency situation, so she stayed in the hospital a day for a nice vacation… But she was only down for a day or two.
Patti