Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A few things to consider...

I am going to start this week out with a quote my husband found for me that perfectly outlines my current mindset.

           "Nobody tells this to people who are beginners. I wish someone had told me.  All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste.  But there is this gap.  For the first couple of years you make stuff, it's just not that good.  It's trying to be good, it has potential, but it's not.  But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer.  And your taste is why your work disappoints you.  A lot of people never get past this phase; they quit.  Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this.  We know our work doesn't have this special thing that we want it to have.  We all go through this.  And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know that it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work.  Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you finish one piece.  It's only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.  And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I've ever met.  It's gonna take a while. It's normal to take a while. You just gotta fight your way through."  -Ira Glass
I have definitely entered that gap.  I feel as though my ambitions and goals are so far over my head it's laughable.  But I have a support system, and a very good one at that.  It is made up of family, friends, and mentors.   They are there for me when I need to bounce ideas around, need a partner in crime, or need reassuring that I can do this.  Each time I feel like it's not worth trying again, I think of all the support I've received and push through. Not only would I be letting myself down by not trying, I would be letting them down as well. 

In reference to last weeks post on inspirations, I did a lot of brainstorming.  I struggled quite a bit with trying to find unique ways to use my inspiration.  That is a huge reason for the blurb above.  So hopefully in the coming weeks I can work through my frustrations and produce something based on my list.

 Also on my mind this past week was the anniversary of a loss.  To honor the memory and show my love I started a portrait. 


 Untitled                                                     2012

Basically, this past week has had its share of trials.  But what week doesn't?  On that note, I will leave you with one more quote:
"The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place:  from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web."-Pablo Picasso
So, onto this week with the expericences of the last to draw upon and make use of in a new light. Until next time, cheers!

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