It’s been a while since I last wrote about art stuff, and there is a good reason for that: I haven’t been making a lot of it lately. After spending the winter months engrossed in projects, I found myself completely out of steam in the spring. I simply didn’t feel called to create art. There was a part of me that felt guilty about it; dedicating a few hours to art on my days off from work had become a routine, which in turn gave it a feeling of being “productive work” which in turn created guilt around not engaging in it. I know, now, that this is an unhelpful and damaging way to approach creative endeavours, so I try to stop myself. Instead of beating myself up for not wanting to work on an art project, I try to give myself permission to enjoy the other things I feel called to do – whether that is reading a book, going for a walk, or (as lately has been the case) working on house projects.
What I have had to remind myself, again and again, is that I didn’t choose to reduce my (paid) work hours in order to take on a “side hustle” (aka turning my passion into paid work). I did it so I could have more time for myself and my family, away from the pressures to maximize (monetize) every waking hour. To stop and smell the roses, literally and figuratively.
So I’m making peace with the fact that, in this current moment, I am not expressing my creative energies by making art. Instead, my creativity is finding other outlets – fashion (of course), home design, gardening. I might not be creating beautiful things, but I am creating a beautiful life. Reminding myself of that helps me to live with intention and gratitude.
But all that being said, I did eke out a few bits and pieces this spring.
This necklace was inspired by cherry blossoms, one of my favourite things in springtime.
These earrings were a sort of companion piece to a necklace I made a few months ago, on an abstract water lilies theme. The design was organically inspired by the shape of the wire-and-fringe earrings I thrifted and upcycled for this.
I also dabbled a bit with painting again. I keep thinking about doing very large canvases slashed with bold colour, but when it comes down to it, I tend to chicken out. I did try to be a little more adventurous and loose with my use of colour for this one, but I still think I played it too safe.
As far as embroidery goes, I revisited an old design – my Klimt-inspired florals. I gave it a rainbow twist this time, just going wild with the colours.
I also finished a hoop commissioned by a friend last year. It was a special piece meant to celebrate her granddaughter’s Ukrainian heritage. This one meant a lot to me, for many reasons, and I was thrilled that she was pleased with the result (and hopefully her family will be as well).
As for the rest of the year, I don’t know what I’ll be doing. I’m going to play it by ear. I have signed up for maker’s market this fall, but I am thinking I may bow out because I’m not mentally prepared for it and I don’t know whether I will be in time to properly prepare for it. To be continued …