Yet it is somehow hard for me to fit in the making of it. Should I admit that here?
I see so many artist blogs where everyone is so productive, so thoughtful, so linked in to the rest of the world (whatever world that may be, here online among artist blogs or elsewhere)... and here my poor blog languishes mostly in inactivity, or showing stuff that I made previously. In 2010 I'd really like to change this, and I hope I can. I miss making art all the time. I want to be able to show people new things frequently. That is who I am.
Sure, it is nice to have languid, lazy weekends like the one I had hence, but the reality is that is not how I achieve my goals (except for getting all the books read I'd like, that's one good thing about a weekend like the one I just had).
One step I have recently taken is to always bring my sketchbook with me to work, in case I have a moment for inspiration. So far nothing has happened.
But, things like that don't just happen, do they? One must resolve to do them.
I don't have anything new to show you from me at the moment, but I'd like to share this photo I just took of a lovely little new year's card I got from my old friend Tae Won Yu, who designed it (maybe even printed it himself? I'll have to ask). I've got it hanging in my cube at work, it looks nice juxtaposed with a sketch I did of a dead chipmunk years ago (we're talking 20+) that I still really love. I ought to get it framed properly one day. Anyway, isn't Tae's work amazing? He's been a great inspiration to me over the years as an artist and as a graphic designer, and I am fortunate to have quite a few examples of his work in my files and on my walls.
Goal for today: One drawing in my sketchbook of anything.
***
This week is the beginning of what looks like a fairly busy teaching season—I hope so, anyway. I've listed the classes I am scheduled to teach in the coming months in a new section on my website, CLASSES. I'm also starting to teach online as an adjunct professor at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh today! This is my first online teaching experience and I am very excited to see how teaching a drawing class online works out. The school has provided a really good class structure and resources, so at least I have a strong foundation to build on, plus a mentor for my first class! I guess this is the wave of the future. I think it's pretty nifty. It definitely appeals to the hermit in me, I admit it!
Lots to look forward to. I just need to carve out time for the activity that is most important to me: making my art. Should be easy, right?
(Hmph, if it was easy I'd have already done it.)
I'd be really interested to hear what you other artists out there reading have to say about my predicament: balancing more than full-time work and family with my studio practice.
1 comment:
Thank you Amy, all credit for printing the card goes to Amelia, the master printer.
I know just what you mean though. I'm in a similar state, I've set up a tumblog to post new work this year, w/o too much judging, just to keep working compulsively.
http://taewonyu.tumblr.com/
Good luck it's hard to feel any inspiration after working all day but it helps to have a place to share it and to keep working w/o worrying too much about how you'll be judged. The key for me was to dial down the perfectionist impulse and admit that this will suck, and keep going, making failure after failure. But it's the constant practice that improves the work as you know, instead of shooting for anything good, I just draw and scribble all the time, and I just feel more comfortable making stuff and that's more conducive to creativity than the fearful, hyper-critical mind. Less thinking, more seeing and keep moving that pencil around.
Good luck,
love
Tae
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