It can sometimes be a challenge to take advantage of time that becomes available to make art. A moment presents itself for creative output and yet there are either no concrete ideas of what to work on, too many ideas of what to work on, projects already in process that are in a waiting stage, or projects in process that require more time than the present moment allows for and all of a sudden – this moment – once so full of exciting possibility feels a bit squished.
Very often this moment of indecision has completely stalled artistic expression for me and has left me feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and at some moments, just plain lazy, with the temptation to by-pass a chance to make something seem like an easy out. While there is a time for rest and other activities in life that are fulfilling – there is a joy, energy, and satisfaction that comes out of the creation of art that – for me – is unique to that process. To have the chance before me to delve into the creative process and to let that opportunity pass me by can be disheartening.
The keeping of an art log (see Art Log entry for more details on art logs) has been one approach to overcoming this situation. When the problem is a lack of in-process projects or a blank canvas that is causing the visual equivalent of writer’s block, the art log is a great resource for getting the next project kicked off. However, very often these moments for artistic expression arise when other obligations present time constraints and this particular creative opportunity may not be the moment to start something new. The solution I have decided to explore in these moments is to have a ‘Go-To Medium’ – a pre-selected medium to work with that can be considered an ongoing project and is a natural selection of what to work on when some unexpected time for art presents itself.
A go-to medium serves two purposes – it breaks the spell of what to work on before it has a chance to stagnate the moment and it offers and opportunity to practice new or familiar mediums on a regular basis. My current go-to medium is pen & ink drawing this means that I am keeping my ink and drawing nibs readily accessible so that at any moment I can grab them and jump into sketching (you can see one of my pen & ink sketches below). This has been my go-to medium for two months now and, while I have not turned to it as often as I might have expected to in that time period, it is a comfort to always have a project to work on a moment’s notice.
Go-To Medium projects are meant to be explorations of that medium or to offer the freedom to just experience the creative act without the expectation of a finished product. Letting go of the expectation of creating a piece of art can very often open up the process to allow for exploration of a medium in a way that may, unexpectedly, become a finished piece on its own – or may offer insight into applying that approach to a more polished piece in the future. Either way, the goal of the go-to medium is to allow for a seamless transition into art making in unexpected moments of creative opportunity.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Art Log
Art is many things - not the least of which is a way of encountering the world around us with an openness to seeing, exploring, and understanding the relationships between things in familiar, new, and unexpected ways.
One of the ways I have decided to live out Art is to document my explorations and encounters in the world through the keeping of an Art Log. At it's most basic level, an art log is simply a list - an ongoing list - of ideas, inspirations, themes, shapes, colors, mediums, observations, hopes, desires, and touchstones. It is a list that, once active, serves as a resource for inspiration in moments of creative production and it is a list that archives and houses ideas that may be the root of a future project.
The physical being of my art log is a page a day moleskine calendar which provides me with ample space each day for recording one art idea and jotting down any other events of the day - from special events, to locations and daily activities while traveling, to gatherings with friends and family, to recording the name of any books I've finished reading on that day. I find that having the daily calendar is a nice way of tracking the year as it passes, is a good resource for looking back on past years' activities, and it provides a bit of accountability to stick with the list and not let it slip away from active additions. Each numbered page holds the expectation of being filled on the date that matches that number - and if I fall behind - there is always a specific number to catch up to.
I have been living with the daily creation of an Art Log for three full years now - and I am now two months into my fourth. It has become a small outlet for me on a daily basis while at the same time offering up insights in the moments I am needing something to work on. I enjoy the way my art log makes me keep my 'eyes open' to the things that are going on in the world around me and keeps me thinking about those things in creative ways. Challenging me to explore the potential for visual representations of things that I see - or stories that I hear - or simply recording the fact that a bright yellow line I saw that day looked visually energized and pleasing against its brilliant blue background. This constant openness to inspiration lets inspiration constantly come my way - no - I am not claiming to be a brilliantly inspired person - but I do seize the bits of insight and inspiration that head my way and I find that (as with most things) the more I open myself up the more I am offered.
I sometimes sit back and look at the Art Logs I've completed this far and wonder if the well of insights isn't in danger of running a little dry - not to mention that after three years and over a thousand ideas already recorded I have plenty of projects to keep myself busy with probably for the rest of my life - yet each day I find myself eagerly being on the lookout for what I might find to scribble down on that day's page. I realize now that while my Art Logs are available for use as a tool and a resource for myself as an artist - they are also a reality check for myself as a person - a reminder to keep being engaged in each moment of every day - to take note of the things around me, to keep learning about themes that show up in my life - and to remind myself that even the most mundane moments and objects can sometimes be the best source of inspiration.
One of the ways I have decided to live out Art is to document my explorations and encounters in the world through the keeping of an Art Log. At it's most basic level, an art log is simply a list - an ongoing list - of ideas, inspirations, themes, shapes, colors, mediums, observations, hopes, desires, and touchstones. It is a list that, once active, serves as a resource for inspiration in moments of creative production and it is a list that archives and houses ideas that may be the root of a future project.
The physical being of my art log is a page a day moleskine calendar which provides me with ample space each day for recording one art idea and jotting down any other events of the day - from special events, to locations and daily activities while traveling, to gatherings with friends and family, to recording the name of any books I've finished reading on that day. I find that having the daily calendar is a nice way of tracking the year as it passes, is a good resource for looking back on past years' activities, and it provides a bit of accountability to stick with the list and not let it slip away from active additions. Each numbered page holds the expectation of being filled on the date that matches that number - and if I fall behind - there is always a specific number to catch up to.
I have been living with the daily creation of an Art Log for three full years now - and I am now two months into my fourth. It has become a small outlet for me on a daily basis while at the same time offering up insights in the moments I am needing something to work on. I enjoy the way my art log makes me keep my 'eyes open' to the things that are going on in the world around me and keeps me thinking about those things in creative ways. Challenging me to explore the potential for visual representations of things that I see - or stories that I hear - or simply recording the fact that a bright yellow line I saw that day looked visually energized and pleasing against its brilliant blue background. This constant openness to inspiration lets inspiration constantly come my way - no - I am not claiming to be a brilliantly inspired person - but I do seize the bits of insight and inspiration that head my way and I find that (as with most things) the more I open myself up the more I am offered.
I sometimes sit back and look at the Art Logs I've completed this far and wonder if the well of insights isn't in danger of running a little dry - not to mention that after three years and over a thousand ideas already recorded I have plenty of projects to keep myself busy with probably for the rest of my life - yet each day I find myself eagerly being on the lookout for what I might find to scribble down on that day's page. I realize now that while my Art Logs are available for use as a tool and a resource for myself as an artist - they are also a reality check for myself as a person - a reminder to keep being engaged in each moment of every day - to take note of the things around me, to keep learning about themes that show up in my life - and to remind myself that even the most mundane moments and objects can sometimes be the best source of inspiration.
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