I haven't written for a while as I've been feeling quite un-motivated. I'm not depressed and I'm not sick but I have been unable to work up any enthusiasm for doing anything creative! This doesn't mean that I've been idle but what I've been doing has had nothing to do with art and sewing. I have totally organised the house from top to toe and been totally ruthless in throwing out, giving away or recycling stuff and things that I haven't used in years. I've bought cupboards and stacking towers of drawers and have managed to put enough things away that no longer does my house look like a second hand emporium or an off shoot of Steptoe and Son! But I just can't rake up any enthusiasm to do anything with fabric or paint. I'm at a standstill. I've browsed through my scrapbooks, looked at pictures and studied my workbooks intently but nothing gels. The muse isn't there! I think its a reaction to being on holiday from teaching. No pressure to get anything done, no stress and no last minute things to get ready. Its amazing how much stuff I accomplish when I know I've got other things to do as well. I'll regret this idleness when the new term starts. :-) Tonight I've forced myself to tie my magic squares quilt so I can cross it off the 'to do' list. And tomorrow I'm going to dye. I'm sure this will get me back in the mood but if it doesn't you'll know why I'm not writing. I'll be in the garden feeling virtuous planting out my courgettes and beans and sewing seeds for lettuce, beets and radishes.=
Note: picture is of the Eden Project near St Austell Cornwall
I'm sure you'll get your motivation back soon. Everyone needs a break occasionally - makes it all the more enjoyable when you do go back to it.
ReplyDeleteThose things in the picture look like giant size golf balls. :)
ReplyDeleteach! we all have these down times in productivity but i've learned too that it's all cyclic and it's impossible to have a continuous out put when the energy involved is so intense. The garden sounds the perfect place to be right now for a good ol' top up of natural energy :)
ReplyDeleteVal, dearest, this is just the plateau before moving on to greater heights. We all have them. I usually try to rebel against the necessary downtime and force myself to work anyway...thus ending up with a big unworlable mess...so enjoy the downtime and rest. You will need it when the spirit moves you again. Thanks for the comments on the last leaf...I can't wait to start coloring and stitching.
ReplyDeleteHave a break, Val, and enjoy doing lots of other things. I'm sure they'll be valuable fodder when you do come back to it. I really must visit the Eden Project sometime - been meaning to go for years.
ReplyDeleteto everything there is a season... and I'm sure that once you have gotten through the cycle of setup (cleaning house/getting storage organised etc) there will be a cycle of productivity again. Don't forget that a LOT of art time isn't about the physical process of getting colours on fabric, but about the THINKING time we need.
ReplyDelete(Of course, I really need someone to kick me HARD in the butt and get me going because I'm not doing anything artywise now. Or maybe I'm in a thinking bit, I dunno.)
Maybe what we need to do is redefine what our arty "work" is. Planning/cleaning is still WORK. Hmmm. (So long as it's not a delaying tactic for tooooooooooooooo long!) Takingtime to think about WHY we're doing what we're doing... hmmm.