Friday, March 4, 2011

Giving it away...

It's really hard to get something you want when you're not giving it away. Putting it out there and being patient to see it come back to you. With no expectation of how or when you'll get it back.

Case point #1: Art and creativity
So you want to be more creative. Ok, easy enough. Most of us would say you must do something creative every day to get the juices flowing. Even the smallest act can help. You don't feel like creating? Then get inspired by reading your favorite blogs, taking a field trip, sorting your supplies, browsing your favorite store, and so on. But personally, if you can take it one step further, that is where you'll witness your creative growth.

When I very first started playing with mixed media art I became so emotionally attached to every piece I created I COULD NOT let it go. Regardless if I like the piece or not. I'd find a reason to hang on to it. "I hate it, so I must hide it.", "I love it, so I must hang it on the wall and stare at it for years in amazement that I created it." Even the few ATC swaps I participated in were difficult for me. I was creating 6 ATC cards that were basically the same and I took every ounce of effort I had to mail them off. Why? On some level I felt like I was just giving my creativity away. That if I let the piece go I would lose that part of me. How VERY wrong I was.

Nearly a year ago I had a friend stop by the house to borrow something. She loved my art. Loved so much of what I had hanging on the walls. She was moved and touched by the pieces. I hesitantly pulled them off the wall and sent them home with her. And it was painful. A few weeks later I was creating again like crazy after a fairly long dry spell. I didn't make the connection.

Fast forward to the last holiday season. Determined to do SOMETHING for the friends I love so dearly (who had not received gifts from me the year before), and way to broke to buy them all gifts, my only option was to make their presents. Sure enough, after Christmas, another hefty dose of inspiration and creative flow. I still didn't get it.

Three birthdays in the last month, again financially unable to shop. One gift was made on the spot, the other two were pieces I had made and hidden in my stash some time before. Same outcome, I was nailed with a dose of creative flow. And this time I got it!

As artists our job is not to hang on to our art. It is to SHARE it!!! The more we share it, the more it comes back to us and the more inspired and creative we become. Regardless if you love your work or not...you created it for a reason...that gift came from a higher power...and it IS meant to be shared with the world. LET IT GO!!! Get it out there!!! You just may be surprised at what happens. :)

And thanks to Jen Osborn for inspiring this post today.

1 comment:

  1. OO there is a lot of good thought going on after reading this. Yes I think I know what you mean! I don't really make work that can exists on it's own yet- it's very personal so I give it to my Mom since it's mostly my daughter and some frilly paper but since I've decided to pursue "art" as a career this may very well be the answer to all those "no mojo" days. Thanks for sharing and thanks for swinging by my blog earlier today!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...