There are two things that I hear most about in this creative world, the first is ''How do I price my work'' and the second is ''I just cant function at the moment'', along with the latter and particularly with fledgling creatives comes the worry that ''I have lost it [The ability to create]
I will cover pricing in the next blog post so for this one it is that dreaded period of 'BURN-OUT'
It is inconceivable that for most the ability to maintain a constant 24/7 focus on work is simply not possible, perhaps for short bursts and usually at the time when the joy of creativity is at its peak we can, or have, the belief in that moment, when everything comes together, when life is balanced and harmonious and everything flows, energy and immagination in a veritable flurry of creative discovery, the higher one goes however the greater the drop when it all suddenly falls apart.
Out of the blue and seemingly All of a sudden, this creative streak has gone, the mind is tired, immagination is dried up, a blank piece of paper either stays blank or hits the pile of scribbled-on paper in the bin, unfinished macquettes sit on the work top and tools lie untouched, in essence the creatives depression sets in and everything simply does not work.
I can tell you now that THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT STATE! Nor has it appeared out of the blue moreso at the end of a series of steps unnoticed. so, how do we deal with this loss of our lifes sustinence.
Accepting that we are in a place where nothing is going to work is the first step, instead we should view this as a period of R & R, of Rest and Recovery, walk away, do nothing connected with art or whatever it is that you are unable to do, we have not lost our ability for the rest of our lives though it may seem so at the moment, the ability to create is a natural human condition and resides within all of us throughout our lives and will never leave us, when we find ourselves in this place of inability to create take stock of how this has happened for there will be markers that you can use in the future to identify this road map to burn-out.
For this reason alone we should have another interest aside art, something else to turn to, even if it is not a hobby, after all our work as creatives is just that, work, and all workers need a break at sometime even the most prolific of 'holics'.
Look around you, how is your life outside of art, is your studio a mess, how is your family, your friends, take time out for a 'meet and greet' fellow creatives, go visit them or even if only on-line do some networking, take a walk or three, relax and put your feet up and languish in what it is that you have created, no matter what you find to do enjoy it and make the most of this rest period that comes at the end of any intense period of creativity.
It matters not how long this R & R period is for your body and mind will lead you and allow you to return when you are wholly ready, I can assure you that when you do return it will be in one of two ways and usually related the very same way that you found yourself dysfunctional, either slowly leading you back into it with achievable goals and passive ideas or, as the result of a sincere decision based reasoning, learn about yourself and how you function in this return to work, over time, (in much the same way that you learn to understand the steps that lead to a period of R & R) you will learn your cues for your return to work, these cues are specific to you and your lifestyle and rarely change if they do it will be in response to your positive change as a growing creative.
Once the modes of your personal transition are learned you will find that in the long term your creative life, your general health and well-being will all become far more enjoyable as you seamlessly slide from work to rest and back again, this can be a time for evaluation, a change in direction or discipline even either way, when you do return I guarentee it will be with a fresh outlook and renewed energy both of which can only grow and enhance you as an artist and your creative practice.
next month I will be addressing the creatives dilemma that is 'Pricing Works', until then, have a wonderful and artful creative time.
Andrew is a full time artist and founder member of the Biomorphism Arts Movement, with more than 5 decades of creative life there are few disciplines that he has not engaged with to some level of success, 17 of these years have been fully dedicated to his creative practice and currently he works as a sculptor.
I will cover pricing in the next blog post so for this one it is that dreaded period of 'BURN-OUT'
It is inconceivable that for most the ability to maintain a constant 24/7 focus on work is simply not possible, perhaps for short bursts and usually at the time when the joy of creativity is at its peak we can, or have, the belief in that moment, when everything comes together, when life is balanced and harmonious and everything flows, energy and immagination in a veritable flurry of creative discovery, the higher one goes however the greater the drop when it all suddenly falls apart.
Out of the blue and seemingly All of a sudden, this creative streak has gone, the mind is tired, immagination is dried up, a blank piece of paper either stays blank or hits the pile of scribbled-on paper in the bin, unfinished macquettes sit on the work top and tools lie untouched, in essence the creatives depression sets in and everything simply does not work.
I can tell you now that THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT STATE! Nor has it appeared out of the blue moreso at the end of a series of steps unnoticed. so, how do we deal with this loss of our lifes sustinence.
Accepting that we are in a place where nothing is going to work is the first step, instead we should view this as a period of R & R, of Rest and Recovery, walk away, do nothing connected with art or whatever it is that you are unable to do, we have not lost our ability for the rest of our lives though it may seem so at the moment, the ability to create is a natural human condition and resides within all of us throughout our lives and will never leave us, when we find ourselves in this place of inability to create take stock of how this has happened for there will be markers that you can use in the future to identify this road map to burn-out.
For this reason alone we should have another interest aside art, something else to turn to, even if it is not a hobby, after all our work as creatives is just that, work, and all workers need a break at sometime even the most prolific of 'holics'.
Look around you, how is your life outside of art, is your studio a mess, how is your family, your friends, take time out for a 'meet and greet' fellow creatives, go visit them or even if only on-line do some networking, take a walk or three, relax and put your feet up and languish in what it is that you have created, no matter what you find to do enjoy it and make the most of this rest period that comes at the end of any intense period of creativity.
It matters not how long this R & R period is for your body and mind will lead you and allow you to return when you are wholly ready, I can assure you that when you do return it will be in one of two ways and usually related the very same way that you found yourself dysfunctional, either slowly leading you back into it with achievable goals and passive ideas or, as the result of a sincere decision based reasoning, learn about yourself and how you function in this return to work, over time, (in much the same way that you learn to understand the steps that lead to a period of R & R) you will learn your cues for your return to work, these cues are specific to you and your lifestyle and rarely change if they do it will be in response to your positive change as a growing creative.
Once the modes of your personal transition are learned you will find that in the long term your creative life, your general health and well-being will all become far more enjoyable as you seamlessly slide from work to rest and back again, this can be a time for evaluation, a change in direction or discipline even either way, when you do return I guarentee it will be with a fresh outlook and renewed energy both of which can only grow and enhance you as an artist and your creative practice.
next month I will be addressing the creatives dilemma that is 'Pricing Works', until then, have a wonderful and artful creative time.
