Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Can I tell you a secret?

Do you promise to not think I'm losing it? (Well, I am... a little bit.)

Here goes...
You know the messages I put on my artwork? Fly... Dream... Seek Big Adventures? Yep, those messages. Well, I put them out into the world for you, but...
I make those messages for me.
Because I need to hear them and see them. OFTEN. They keep me moving forward. They remind me of where I want to go and why I am here. They keep me sane.

"Old" collage with message I need to hear. Oh yeah, and I'm posting "old" art because new art just isn't happening right now.


What IS happening right now is that I'm going through a time of complete upheaval because my job is taking over my life. There's no breathing room, no thinking room, no peace. NO ART.

I have to think this is only temporary. My sanity REQUIRES me to think this is only temporary. If I've learned anything over the years it's that these kinds of upheavals don't last forever. There has to be a break. I'm just trying to keep it together until that break appears. I'm trying to be nice to myself and keep all the other pressures to a minimum wherever I can. Which isn't easy. But I'm going to keep trying.

13 comments:

  1. Shelly,I think you have the right frame of mind to handle anything that comes along at the moment.If there is no breathing room,no thinking room,no peace,no art...So be it...Ride the wave and come out sparkly clean when this loop is over..and your right..it will be over..and when it is..you will be ready to begin again.
    Art is art to the artist,when they are only in the right frame of mind.I know this,I have tried to create when my mind is elsewhere..and in the end I am unfulfilled,and discouraged.But when the heart and mind are open,it flows out,like a river,going at the pace a river flows.
    Big Hugs to you and may this time pass swiftly,Cat

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  2. Your art is beautiful! This is one of my favorite pieces of seen online.

    I'm going through the same thing. I haven't updated my art blog in months and feel miserable about it. I wish art could be a constant part of my life, but it has to make way for other things that need my attention more. I just have to ride it out and look to the time when I can focus on it again.

    Best wishes!

    I agree with the above comment, I can't even force myself to do art right now - there's no mental capacity open for it. So

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  3. Shelly - I agree. I use alot of words and uplifting phrases in my work as well - I know that people react to the words they need to hear, but I really use the words that I need to hear. I guess it's just another reminder that we are all in this together!. PS - I enjoy your blog and check in often!

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  4. Oh shelly, this piece made me smile! "cow you are cleared for takeoff", hilarious! I know how you feel about art taking a backseat...it's ok for a while but then I get sick of driving. Good luck balancing everything! Tracey

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  5. oh miss shelly...life does get in the way of our art sometimes. when that happens it stinks. but i often find for myself when i get back to the art i have creative explosions. i hope that happens to you, too. life is hard to live to be in the moment....all we can do is do our best and go with the flow and not think so much. i hope your balance comes soon!

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  6. hang in there...often you can use this kind of suffocation to your advantage. whenever my job was pushing me down, my mind cried out in revolt and often my most creative ideas would come from that repression, even if i didn't have the time to spend on the actual art!

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  7. P.S. I didn't know you went to KU! I live within a stone's throw of campus!

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  8. It does seem that creativity goes in waves. and then you have to do all the other stuff and that takes so much time. and it looks like you are doing lots of the other stuff. so way to go - your posts are awesome!

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  9. I have this piece of your collage art up right in front of me in my studio(from generous you at last artfest xox)It always puts a huge grin on my face, and lifts up a sometimes heavy heart :o) Thank you for being wonderful you! And hopefully these won't sound too cliche, but these have been really helping me out lately "this too shall pass" and "just today!"I actually wrote the just today on my hand for a while to remind myself, I just need to love today feircely! I can get through today! and if I focus on putting love and goodness in just today, they start to add up to good weeks, and so on and so on :o) Your doing great! keep up the amazing attitude :o)!!!

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  10. HI SHELLY! I haven't visited your blog in a long time but it's nice to come back to!! Remember me?? I OWN THIS ORIGINAL collage, your very first sale on etsy, and I still treasure it completely!! So know that even though your job has taken over your life, it hasn't ENTIRELY taken over your art, because your art still has its own life in my house and I enjoy it daily. I have a parade of students coming through my studio, too, and they all get very inspired by the piece's message, as well as the technique, and especially the humor. How awesome is that??!!!

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  11. Sometimes life has a way of cramping our style, doesn't it?! Just keep on keepin' on...it will find its way back to you! Love that collage!

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  12. Hi Shelly! Well, I hope you find some art time soon. I know how frustrating it is when you have ideas and no time to make them real. It's like needing stuff when you don't have money and can't find anything you like when you do have money. I had fun trying to catch up on your flickr and blog a bit today. Kinda flew in under the radar and will have to go back and comment. Congratulations on your recent award! How exciting!

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  13. I can totally appreciate your post...and I'm so happy that you decided to revisit your art with this message....
    I am in the very same boat right now...and I have to find some balance...thanks for sharing this!!

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