I have lost that Drive to create art and am not sure if or how I will get it back again, or what form it will take. I wonder what "Art" is, why it drove me before to create the physical out of
dreams and visions that I have had. I still have dreams but now they are swirling dervishes of language and I am dreaming in color. I don't know where to take this or whether it will go anywhere, but it is a bit like the steel, lumps of iron in my shop, wanting the heat from the fire, pounded on my forge until they become what was always within them. Art.
Maybe it is the economy. There is no excess money to purchase what I make and without sales I can't continue. Maybe it is the neuropathy in my hands. Everything I touch is like stirring a bucket full of cut glass. The steel does call for me but only offers pain.
I always start my tomato seeds in the greenhouse on April Fools Day and my garden is always my best art, creating a total environment that is really me, an island, my island in this narcissistic world we live in. That is four months from now. Plenty of time.
3 comments:
Jerry, I have just read your post on the drive or lack therof to create art... You know each one of us goes through that at some time and more than once .. You have every right to feel that perhaps right now your not 'into it'..
You may not even ever feel like using paint again.. but I know it will be in another form.. writing.?. gardening..? or something entirely different.. One thing is for sure... whatever it is you will do it with that flair.. and energy .. You've already created many beautiful works of art in your iron work.. I've been amazed at some of it.. So now its on to something else or maybe nothing ... it'll come to you.. I would add that right now I and a few other artists I know of have the same 'sickness'. Right now I just feel like creating with another medium.. Yes, me the watercolor/pencil artist. It could be fabric or paper.. who knows, who cares? Not an earth shattering decision ! It's ok. It's your birthday, you can do whatever you want...
What a beautiful garden ... truly a corner of 'eden'.
What is art? Good question; I ask this repeatedly and haven't yet found an answer. I remember my university critques where each of us stood and explained our 'art' ... really a bunch of babble that was quite meaningless; mostly 'cover ups'!
You are just experiencing a 'slump' and I have had several of those the past six months or so. Then, when I finally get the urge to paint another canvas it winds up being a disaster.
Fortunately for me right now so many other obligations are filling my time that I have little left to worry about production of 'art'.
Someone, can't remember who, said 'the spirit lies within us, not the form represented'. So Barbra Joan is probably right .... your creative spirit will eventually find its 'form'.
Your past efforts certainly show to all your ability to envision, trnslate and realize the visual story before you.
Don't despair ... enjoy the respite!
We all have this problem, especially during the holiday season since there is so much to do. We struggle with doing the right thing like - getting the tree up, shopping, visiting, etc etc, and that always seems to get in the way of our art. At least for me that is the problem. I've been very unproductive for over 3 weeks. I hope to get a little done this coming week, but I refuse to beat myself up if I don't. We will see! So until then read this my friend and maybe it will help.
Our Idea
Which art in the Ether
That cannot be named;
Thy Vision come
Thy Will be done
On Earth, as it is in Abstraction.
Give us this day our daily Spark
And forgive us our criticisms
As we forgive those who critique against us;
And lead us not into stagnation
But deliver us from Ego;
For Thine is the Vision
And the Power
And the Glory forever.
Amen.
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