When my day begins, if nothing else I know-almost intrinsically, I will produce something creative; a new jewelry design, a doodle, a blog post, a meal-something! When I choose not to, it's almost always "the taupes" and, even then, I can spend innumerable hours internally philosophising and engaging in silent rhetoric about my complex, depressed mind. But, when I cannot create, I am not well. It's a guttural cry with no sound; it's the psyche censured.
I've been fortunate; dabbling in different media usually guarantees the production of something, but recently that's changed. After the Crafeteria III craft your fingers off jewelry design binge, I packed my beads and wire away. Then, the holiday hoopla bust your gut bake-athon, put the kibosh on cooking. A card-making swap was the paper crafts party pooper, zine production is underway, but not quite ready for praise and presentation...heart starts racing, palms begin to sweat. What's a crafty maven to do?
I tried to clean and rearrange my workspace...um, not. I moved a few things around, started toying with my tchatchkes and before you know it, I was in the yard taking the photos in this post.
When my day begins, if nothing else, I know-almost intrinsically, I will produce something creative! Photos: Carved wooden hands-a gift to myself for doing my first craft fair. Vintage "T" printing blocks-a gift to myself for my 300th blog post. Resin typewriter-Dollar Tree goodness.
What new techniques, ideas and inspiration have you discovered amidst a creative block fail?
10 comments:
Well!
Your post on creative block is so articulate.
My mind has been feeling blah, and yours is ever working.
Love the vintage vignettes! I want the hands! I have a C and an M...that typewriter though...ohhhhh!
i always end up producing something in written form whenever i'm (or i think i'm) in a creative rut. last night i produced 6 or 7 haikus (as was also suggested via charmaine's blog). while writing i doodle a lot. the margins always become covered in various little pictures. then there's cooking/baking. and reading then mentally creating the scene of what what's being relayed.
and music/singing! although there isn't really any physical creativeness to show for it at the end, i'm always thoroughly inspired and motivated to get back in the groove after listening to a good song and singing along.
i think about this at times as well. even when i don't think i'm being creative (because i'm not designing or sewing), i always am.
great post.
oooh I would say if all else fails try taking a photo of something. Anything. It tends get me looking at the world in a different way.
I almost always have trouble after the holidays are over - I've usually been out of the studio for at least a month, and I can't remember what the Hell I was working on before I stopped.
I think that the few times I've been truly blocked, I've taken a class in something I've never done before. Usually, after I'm done, whatever I've learned has affected every aspect of my creative thinking and I can get something going again.
Or, I'll dive into some Haagen Daaz and eat my way out of it!
Kate
That is interesting that you unblocked with photography because that is what is happening gradually to me.
I had a number of set-backs with my jewelry mostly caused by unavailability of what I needed for a project and after awhile I lost my momentum as if the wind was knocked right out of me.
As I was taking pictures of Carmella I realized what a great topic she would be to do a watercolor series on. There were lots of really gorgeous poses I captured of her, so I ordered some watercolor paper and just received it, and now am just about ready to start laying out the first of the series.
I think photography adds a new perspective because although there is some planning involved there are bits of spontaneous beauty you did not plan that you see in the finished product.
Sometimes the way light hits something can make the difference between something ho-hum and something breathtaking.
Great post! I'm currently blocked as to what else to say?!
Sound lame, but I meditate and then the brain food clears.
GT
Great post. I love the gifts to yourself which you so generously share with us. Inspiring!
I think the taupes brings out a level of creativity that is unmatched, or at least that is what I am choosing to keep telling myself, lol.
Love the art... I can't get enough of your art, photography, jewelry... all that is you.
Create on girl!
Love that creative block photo. That's a fresh (well, new to me) take on collage.
When I can't figure out what to make I just browse some magazines, websites, or even weekly sales ads that come in the mail. There are so many ideas out there that help spark my imagination and send me on some other happy tangent.
The real problem for me is wanting to do so much that I end up doing nothing!
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