I'm working on a new series of polymer pieces, probably wearable (since they will be some sort of 'heart in hand' opening of my self to the world - but only for those with 'eyes to see')
I mean - I just realized I'm working on a series of pieces - so far I just got 'hit' by a vision which I already brought to completion and there seems to be more from where that one came from.
Pictures to follow...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A hobby is not a second job
At my almost 32 years of age, I re-discovered the bliss of childhood by simply remembering that a hobby is not a second job.
What I mean with this is - there's no target, no performance indicator, no 'good' or 'bad' output and no need to necessarily produce something 'in time' or 'as planned'
Quite obvious, huh? Well, not for me, no no...
Sadly, maybe due to my life experience and upbringing, I had so far approached art with a similar mindset as a career or a job - in a lineal and rigid way.
And it wasn't working out. Even when I had some precious free time to devote to my projects, I felt de-motivated. Why?
I found out that the main reason was the inexplicable background belief that I had to finish every project I started in an orderly sequence before I could start the next one. Ideas and visions were accumulating and pushing to come forth, like a bad 5 pm traffic jam on my nervous system, and I was trying to hold them back (but without forgetting them) while I worked on 'the current project', against which I subconsciously rebelled.
Result: stalemate.
Until I asked myself who had told me I had to start and finish one thing before I could start another one - the answer, cultural conditioning.
The challenge - overcoming it without becoming an embodiment of purposelessness and chaos :)
I'm presently halfway through 5 projects. I feel free. I feel a bit scared too.
What I mean with this is - there's no target, no performance indicator, no 'good' or 'bad' output and no need to necessarily produce something 'in time' or 'as planned'
Quite obvious, huh? Well, not for me, no no...
Sadly, maybe due to my life experience and upbringing, I had so far approached art with a similar mindset as a career or a job - in a lineal and rigid way.
And it wasn't working out. Even when I had some precious free time to devote to my projects, I felt de-motivated. Why?
I found out that the main reason was the inexplicable background belief that I had to finish every project I started in an orderly sequence before I could start the next one. Ideas and visions were accumulating and pushing to come forth, like a bad 5 pm traffic jam on my nervous system, and I was trying to hold them back (but without forgetting them) while I worked on 'the current project', against which I subconsciously rebelled.
Result: stalemate.
Until I asked myself who had told me I had to start and finish one thing before I could start another one - the answer, cultural conditioning.
The challenge - overcoming it without becoming an embodiment of purposelessness and chaos :)
I'm presently halfway through 5 projects. I feel free. I feel a bit scared too.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The challenge of self-definition
Today I updated my Flickr profile. I wanted to make it a bit more personal and add some info on my so-called 'creative process'. I guess it now reflects a bit more where I stand - neatly standing among the 'weekend crafters'.
I'm an amateur, self-taught artist / crafter, mainly interested in jewelry and sculpture.
I work with polymer clay, precious metal clay and other 'compatible' materials.Each piece is unique and never reproduced.
I don't mass-produce and only work on a piece when inspiration hits me strongly enough.
I've read a few books, found many techniques interesting but I've never done any of the projects. Somehow they all sink into by sub-conscious and emerge at a later stage, transformed into something else...
I've discovered very fast that I just cannot work 'on demand' - it absolutely kills my joy. I can spend a long time without doing anything and feeling my head is 'dry' and then, all of a sudden, I see this image in my head and the enthusiasm is there again.
All my pieces began as a vision (and sometimes ended up looking not quite like it)
My pieces tend to either stay with me for good or find a new owner among friends, family and nice strangers. Criteria: if you really like it and you will wear it, keep it.
I've never had the opportunity to participate in a workshop or fair - hopefully this will change as I meet more people with similar interests.
I'm an amateur, self-taught artist / crafter, mainly interested in jewelry and sculpture.
I work with polymer clay, precious metal clay and other 'compatible' materials.Each piece is unique and never reproduced.
I don't mass-produce and only work on a piece when inspiration hits me strongly enough.
I've read a few books, found many techniques interesting but I've never done any of the projects. Somehow they all sink into by sub-conscious and emerge at a later stage, transformed into something else...
I've discovered very fast that I just cannot work 'on demand' - it absolutely kills my joy. I can spend a long time without doing anything and feeling my head is 'dry' and then, all of a sudden, I see this image in my head and the enthusiasm is there again.
All my pieces began as a vision (and sometimes ended up looking not quite like it)
My pieces tend to either stay with me for good or find a new owner among friends, family and nice strangers. Criteria: if you really like it and you will wear it, keep it.
I've never had the opportunity to participate in a workshop or fair - hopefully this will change as I meet more people with similar interests.
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