Slow Down, Listen, Rest, Reflect

Trying To Do Too Much

In the past two weeks, there have been expectations.  

Big ones.  I set these big expectations myself.  

In my impatience and frustration at not having the results that I want, I push harder.  In my multitasking frenzy, I crank up my pace and get more done.  It's not easy.  It's tiring.  I want to cross more off that mental list.  There are all the tips I've read online.  Managing social media can crowd out the creative flow and overshadow the art process.  I feel my attentions going in too many directions.  Something inside, like a warning signal, tells me if I continue like this, burnout is a possible result.  I'm running out of steam.  It's time to do things differently.

Advice we all need:

1.  Slow down.  Reconsider the priorities and the timeline.

2.  Listen.  What do we hear our bodies telling us?  Are we emotionally strained?  Is the body needing an easier pace?  Are we taking care of ourselves?

3.  Rest.  We can only keep up an unreasonable pace for so long.  When we drive ourselves to unreasonable limits, there will be a price to pay.

4.  Reflect.  Examine what's really of most importance.  What is urgent?  When we list our goals and rate the priority, can a few be dropped?  Paying attention, evaluating and reconsidering helps us to be better at what we don't want to give up.

This is the advice I've been trying to give myself.  Maybe you will see the same true for yourself in the past, now, or in the future.  Overworking myself, I'm taking a risk that I will lose the joy for the art.  The passion for the creativity is worth protecting.  The only time lines are the ones I've chosen.

My back and neck have been sore for the past two weeks.  I'm very tired even while trying to keep up this pace.  All because I want it when I want it.  Not too bright.

This week, I've felt sluggish and drained.  I know it's a result of all I accomplished last week.

I had so many ups and downs with the tasks I was determined to finish.  I learned the basics of Canva, Society6 and Photoshop Elements.  I used Canva to make a fantastic graphic for sharing on Facebook.  It was a photo collage for my daughter's 15th birthday.  It was easy to learn and fun to create with my own photos.  It's a great option for playing around with graphics.  I'll learn to use it here for giving the blog intro's more pop.  Photographing new artwork for two different purposes was a big task to complete.  Then, I applied with Etsy to sell prints...that took several hours to complete, still no answer there.  Scanning new and previous artwork spread over into my Saturday.  I've got such a desire to get so many balls rolling at once!

This week, I've chosen a couple of ways to stay active in the art studio while easing up on myself.

First, I have been planning my next color mixing chart for upcoming watercolor paintings.  As you can see, there's a ways to go yet.  I'll get to it in the next few days.  Updated photos to come at a later date.

Second, playful watercolor for no special reason.  Relaxing exploration.  Brushes in hand, pigment on the paper and unknown results.

Third, laying out potential designs for note cards.  Experimenting with different layouts is great fun!  I'm looking at options for building some really unique layers with a variety of elements.  The pen and ink was a fun diversion.  

Fourth, Artist's Network TV videos online are a great way to take a break!  I just needed to take it easier physically.  This is a subscription service but so valuable to me.  I was able to watch two videos while putting my feet up!

Joyce Faulkner and Guy Magallanes are very entertaining!  I learn so much from both of them.  They each have their own distinct style and methods.  I watched one about painting crabapple blossoms and another about painting poppies.  I'll link to the YouTube previews here: Crabapple Blossoms and Icelandic Poppies.  Each of these videos were about 100 minutes in length.  The videos show the process from beginning to completion.  I love seeing techniques and methods in action!

Here's a link to Artists Network TV watercolor preview videos available on YouTube.  The watercolor videos alone are 242 in total!

So, now I'm off to relax and let my back take a time out.  I was torn about whether a blog post is really necessary in light of how I'm feeling BUT I love having this continuity!

Can anyone relate?  

Do you see yourself pushing at a harder pace to get the results you haven't seen yet?  

Are you familiar with simplifying and regrouping before going forward?  

How do you keep it all in perspective?  How do you evaluate your goals on a regular basis?  

What's your go-to way to relax and take a break?

I'd love the input!

-Christy

Advice for Artist Moms Who Long For More Art Time

I ached to bring back my artist self

I missed the artist "me".  The "me" that had time to spend an entire Saturday with my brushes and a sheet of watercolor paper.  So as crazy and mixed up as that may sound to any non-artist types, I believe other artists (particularly moms) will be able to relate.  

My becoming a mom story is a bit different than most.  When I was 33 years old, we brought 2 children home ages 3 and 4...and I went from not-a-mom-yet to mom-of-two sibling group.  Life as I knew it was turned upside down but in a good way.  The changes in our lives and theirs meant we were always playing catch up.  I was very tired.  There isn't a word for how tired I was at that time. 

What can you do to keep the artist flame burning while pouring yourself out in dedication to spouse, children, job, or caring for a parent?  Many can attest to the fact that it's not always easy to be an artist while life is happening.  I felt lost, trying to find the way back to feeling like a real artist.  While visiting with other artists it was hard to say, "I'm an artist."  I fought the urge to say, "I used to be an artist."  I wondered how to keep some aspect of art interest alive during that season of my life. 

I've been formulating in my mind, what tips and encouragement I might give another artist in that place right now.  I know it feels like you are the only one but please take heart!  It will not always be like this... and there are ways you can keep the flame from going out.

5 Ways to Keep Your Artistic Flame Alive

1.  Squeeze some art into the between-moments.
Pause and give some thought to what you can make time for with your current restraints.  What can you do with short bits of time?  When you're waiting to pick up children from school?  When you're in the waiting room for dental check-ups?  While waiting for sports practice to end?

For me, it was reading magazines like The Artist's Magazine and Watercolor Artist as a quick afternoon reward while kiddos had rest time.  I've gone through them and added sticky notes to help me find favorite tips.  Now there's Pinterest!  Now is the time to get started gathering ideas for projects.  Find ideas that can be done in small amounts of time.  Find ideas for projects in the future when life changes once again.

Three books I love looking through...just lovely ideas to ponder over in the few quiet moments.  Watercolor A New Beginning by Ann K. Lindsay is just fantastic for beginners.  She's encouraging and hopeful, while giving a well-rounded foundation for watercolors.  Watercolor Made Easy by Janet Walsh is another valuable beginner's book.  The photos break it all down into simple to follow progression.  The Artistic Mother by Shona Cole will delight the senses with fantastic photography of lovely projects.  Her Introduction is titled, Why Should Mothers Make Time to Create Art?  In this book, you'll find inspiring ideas for tying photography into a variety of unique projects.

Note Cards from Palette Mixes Leftover

Watercolor Note Cards

One July Saturday we took a drive to check out the Farmer's Market in Great Falls, Montana.  Years ago we took our two kiddos; they were probably 7 and 8 years old then.  They were not excited.  It just didn't sound like a fun day to them.  We described it to them...farmers bring their produce to sell, along with others selling crafts and baked goods.  They enjoyed themselves once we arrived and they sampled the baked goods and cotton candy.

This recent visit was for a different reason.  We wanted to begin planning for our own booth.  My husband has been building shelves from wood pallets; my daughter and I have been finishing them off with chalk paint and antiquing wax.  We haven't made as much progress as we'd planned.  The days just aren't long enough.  Add to that, the fact is I'm in the art mode...I'd rather go work on watercolor paintings.  While we were exploring the variety of booths with jams and stuffed olives and knit potholders...I began to get excited about my own booth offering my artwork for sale.  I studied the vendors' setups and how they arranged their tables.