I must tell you about yesterday:
For much of my self employed life (14 years) I have been mystified by the days that work in the studio and those that are simply a waste of time.
Yesterday, being a wretchedly hot day here in Melbourne I must have been close minded. Out of sync, out of kilter, just out of it........
For nothing would go right. I didn't have the right felt, the right colours and definitely no ability to do a good layout. SO I stopped.
After stopping I realized that I had a sore neck and was quite cranky and decided to just leave it altogether. And so I walked out..............
There is a danger that you will abandon the project you are struggling with, but if you have the luxury of space ,I would recommend leaving it exactly where it is for a day or two.
The other alternative is to put all the elements together on a tray or pin them to a cork board or piece of foam core.
DON"T GIVE UP!
By collecting that piece of fabric and your fave crayons, maybe a lovely piece of paper or new journal with excitement that something wonderful was going to happen, you discover as you progress, that your souffle has gone flat. Just hang in there! That excitement will return - promise!
SO, Today I thought righto, just start. What made the difference this time was that I took each process one after the other without hesitation. Perhaps I had more impetus because of my washout the day before.
After the first step without any thinking I was enthralled at the rapidity of its' success which in turn fired my energy to race onto the next procedure.
Before I new it my felt was complete and ready for the handwork that I so enjoy doing in the evening.
So fellow artists - JUST START
Don't fret about the end result - you are doing this because you love to make art - not because it is essential to race to the end.
If your idea is half formed or just hinting at the edge of your mind, whispering something in your heart then just starting will help you to capture "it" before it escapes.
So at the end of this long post, I am sharing with you my New Year's Resolution. Just Start!
It might be your next masterpiece or at the very least just the prototype.
Sending every best wish for the New Year and decade
Elizabeth
XX
Wishing you a very Happy New Year. Lovely piece of work.
ReplyDeleteIt's GORGEOUS, what a way to carry on! A wonderful post, too...."Just start" is a good thing to hold onto...
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, my artistic mentor (I do beadwork) has something similar that she recommends to all of us (and herself) when we get stuck, and that is, "Just pick up one bead." It works!!
Happy Twenty Ten from across the Big Puddle!
This is so true. I procrastinated my way through the day yesterday and DID NOT make a start, but I won't make the same mistake today...thank-you!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, you are so RIGHT!!! I needed that so much, thanks for sharing the wisdom. I felt as flat as a collapsed souffle yesterday evening after some promising starts which turned into fear of getting it all wrong and making a mess of things. I am so glad I read your post, you have made my day.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, your work is amazing, just wonderful.
And I hope you dont mind but I have posted about your wise words on my textiles blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://fibrestofelt.blogspot.com/
Happy New Year.
Dear Friends
ReplyDeleteThankyou for writing! Abigail Thankyou!
Every bestest wish
Love ELizabeth
Oh so nice to see this post!! This is somehow exactly a person said to me. I just needed to focus on my felting goals and just make it, not on my dayjob, to feel happy again.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year!
such a gorgeous piece!!I really love the shape, the stitching, the color. everything! beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteG'day Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI found your page on the sidebar of Dot's - "My life my values..." side bar - You do amazing stuff - and I particularly like the felt piece at the top of this thread... I sat looking at it for a little while and I thought what does it remind me of - then I remembered -so - her is her link you may have to scroll down a wee bit to see her work as she chats about her everyday life as well http://fibermania.blogspot.com/ - Melody too does some amazing work with textiles as well as paint...Both of you have such an amazing sense of colour and combinations I am quite envious... I tend to be 'too safe' and ' too constrained' with what I do... Need to loosen up :) Take care now...
When I have read your encouraging text, I thought to myself. This is how I want to start my day. Positive thinking!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Trudis