At certain times my studio becomes out of control: piles of paper, piles of painted boards, folders, cut out pieces of things which include heads, legs and arms along with shapes that might become something, or might have if they had worked out. Piles of painted paper, transfers, scissors, glue, paint. The floor consists of hundreds of bits and pieces of paper along with dirt and dog hair, and rags that my dog has strewn from the rag bag. My camera and tripod are set up against one wall, boxes that store the lights are piled up against another. And this is just the out of order stuff, the regulars are cans of polymer medium, paper cutters, gesso, jars and jars of brushes, palette knives and boxes of paper, rolls of plastic, and boxes filled with shipping materials. The walls are lined with unfinished pieces, ready to go except for the odious task of gluing them to their supports. Since that's no fun, they keep piling up, and as soon as I think of starting to glue, my neck, jaw, and back begin to hurt. Better just to ignore them.
So, I start organizing and cleaning up. But what that really means is that I begin what I've come to know as my "clean up paintings". These clean up paintings happen because my creative self, easily bored, says, "Okay Okay! I'll give you some really good stuff if you will just stop this stupid behavior." We've come to an agreement, my creative self and I, and that is that I will allow it to lead me in making these paintings but there are certain rules that have to be followed--the main rule is that I can only use material that was being thrown away or discarded. The other rules are more fluid, but have to do with using what I was going to get rid of, put away, or cleanse the studio of. Normally, my creative self is never this helpful, and usually it's like pulling teeth to get started. However, give one's creative self an onerous task, and wonderful things can and do happen.
Thanks for your honesty. It's reassuring. I also let the paintings pile up because I hate framing or doing the work to "present" them. And when I go through my stacks of unfinished paintings to try to dispose of some, I end up working on a few instead and usually convince myself to keep them all. My studio will never be neat and tidy and I'm learning to live with that, and myself, the way I work.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your honesty. It's reassuring. I also let the paintings pile up because I hate framing or doing the work to "present" them. And when I go through my stacks of unfinished paintings to try to dispose of some, I end up working on a few instead and usually convince myself to keep them all. My studio will never be neat and tidy and I'm learning to live with that, and myself, the way I work.
ReplyDeleteI practice law but in my Walter Mitty life I am some version of Holly Roberts. Many days I would love to take all pleadings, phone messages, cases set aside to read, tomes of statutes, etc ad nauseum, tear it all up, stain it with my highlighters and dry erase markers and make a big incomprehensible something. Who cares if your studio I'd a mess if it works for you?! I tell my husband that creativity is messy. You have to have your stuff out to see and let it begin to come together in your mind then let it reveal itself as you go. At least that is what I think. I wonder how much creative work ends as it was conceived before started? My guess would be -not much.I love the idea of stuff all over the place that I could look at. I think it sounds very stimulating. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'd like some-yes please!
ReplyDeleteI love your work. I really love it. ♡
Mary Powell
I practice law but in my Walter Mitty life I am some version of Holly Roberts. Many days I would love to take all pleadings, phone messages, cases set aside to read, tomes of statutes, etc ad nauseum, tear it all up, stain it with my highlighters and dry erase markers and make a big incomprehensible something. Who cares if your studio I'd a mess if it works for you?! I tell my husband that creativity is messy. You have to have your stuff out to see and let it begin to come together in your mind then let it reveal itself as you go. At least that is what I think. I wonder how much creative work ends as it was conceived before started? My guess would be -not much.I love the idea of stuff all over the place that I could look at. I think it sounds very stimulating. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'd like some-yes please!
ReplyDeleteI love your work. I really love it. ♡
Mary Powell
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