Time to Make Art
A couple of years ago, I saw my friend Laura had a watch that said, "Time to go to your studio and Make some art" on the face (she's a sculptor). She said her son gave it to her, and it really worked. So I spend a lot of time searching the internet for a watch like that but never found one.
In the meantime, I started collecting plastic cartoon watches that I thought looked funny or cool. One of my favorites is gray with red question marks all over it. Recently I just got this Swatch watch with cheese and toast. And like swiss cheese, it really has some holes in the band.
The idea behind my watch collection was that even if they don't say "go to your studio" at least when I look at the time, they remind me to lighten up and do some art. Last year my goal was to spend at least three hours a day in the studio, trying to start by 3 p.m. at the latest. I did pretty good with that goal last year and finished something like six or seven big quilts.
This year my goal has been to make one quilt a month because I have a solo show coming up in December, and I really need to get some new work done. Now that it's mid-year, it's a good time to evaluate how I'm coming along on my goal. So here's my evaluation: I stink.
It's July and here's what I've done -- one really big quilt and one teeny-tiny one. D-minus. Reminds me of the time I got a progress report in Algebra II at mid-term, and I tore it up, burnt it up, and flushed it down the toilet before my dad got home. (I hope he's not reading this). My reasoning being, it was only mid-term, and I could work hard and make it better so I didn't really need to show it to anyone. (I think I did make it better, didn't I?)
Anyway, being an optimist, the glass is half full, it is only July, and I can start working harder. So now I'm going to rearrange my schedule and start doing art first thing in the morning, which makes a lot of sense anyway because the warehouse is cooler in the morning and so is my studio. My new goal is to do accomplish some art everyday by NOON!
There. I've written it down, so now I have to do it. Only problem is I'm afraid to hit the "publish" button, because you see, if I publish it then I really will have to do it.... right Dad?
posted by PaMdora at 9:56 AM
8 Comments:
I'm a morning person and do my best work before 10 or 11. So I highly encourage this approach! I just wish I didn't have to show up at my day job unil noon or 1.
I try to get in an hour or 2 before heading to the office and then try to remotivate after I get home around 6. I find it much harder to refocus after a full day of work.
I hope this works for you.
I have the worst time making time. I generally work (the "work" that pays the bills) 5 steps from the "work" that makes me live (the art). I sit at the computer, look at my art tables, back to the computer, on the phone, yada, yada. And there the unfinished or unstarted art area is. Thank you for your post. I'm going to go finish that dang last placemat for class. You have moved me to action!
When I have tons to do and little time, I break the work up into parts. Zizag stitching, backing and batt, quilting, more quilting, make the binding, sew on binding. You get it. Each element was one day's job. It wasn't like I was going to have to do everything that day. Just find room in the day for that one part. And I have done my best work this way. I come to it fresh and know that I can leave when I am done.
Thinking up the subject matter--well, that could take longer unless of course a clever person such as yourself has a sketchbook full of ideas???
I'm with Lisa - I function best early in the morning. I used to be a both ends person as long as I was alone, but as I've got older I feel the need to go to bed earlier!
I have not worn a watch since I stopped my day job. I always used to take it off first before coat, shoes, whatever when I came home from work. I don't need to be told to go to the studio - I need to be dragged out of there to do housework, cooking, gardening, ... all the things I neglect and which I should really be doing because I no longer contribute folding money to the household.
I'm all for lists and targets, however, in order to give focus to the work. Good luck with the new regime.
There you go again reading my thoughts and inspiring me all at the same time! I have the same machine and quilting frame set up in the only place available, my bedroom with 6, count'em, 6 unfinished quilts on them calling to me! You are right, time for priority shift for the heart and soul. Maybe instead of a watch, a tatoo? You go girl!! Thank you!!
A tattoo... Now that's brilliant, but that would be a real commitment wouldn't it!
Self-motivation is the key. But writing goals and publishing them so all of us can read them can be helpful too. I guess that's self-shaming, right? ;)
I need a kick in the butt to get back to the studio. The summertime family visitors and the grandkids out of school are such distractions!!
I may do what I did last summer - do a small quilt a day to get me jump started.
Post a Comment
<< Home