Searching for the Perfect Moments
A few of weeks ago I celebrated my birthday by attending a baseball game with my family. It was our hottest summer day yet and unfortunately, the Seattle Mariners lost. (They must not have gotten the memo about my big day.) I also discovered they no longer sell the amazing chocolate chunk and cherry cookies at concessions, which I was really looking forward to. And, it was my 6-year olds first MLB baseball game, so more up and down from our seats than normal.
Like most days in life, it was a mix of joy, frustration, fun, and disappointment. It’s hard not to want the “big” days, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc…, to be perfect and filled with only happy memories.
I started thinking how this also applies to our expectations for creativity. About 6 years ago, I started getting up an hour before my kids to work on art. I didn’t have a clear plan. I was a tired mom during COVID and just wanted dedicated time for art making, and it felt like the only semi-consistent time when my daughter was a baby.
(Actual photo of me in working in my studio at 5:30am and drinking lots of coffee)
Before starting this daily practice, I often felt like I needed to have more space, or the house needed to be totally quiet, or I needed to have a long chuck of time to get the supplies out and really dig into to my projects. (Sound familiar?) But there is no perfect day/time/moment for creativity.
My biggest take away from my early morning routine is that working on art a little bit every day can build a lot of momentum. Consistency keeps me on track with ideas. I don’t get lost trying to remember what I was working on, or find myself constantly starting new things, because I don’t quite remember where I left off.
And, for me “working on art” could be
- A tiny collage in my sketchbook
- Cutting masks or stencils
- Trying out new textures by printing a few collage papers on my gel plate
- Taping and prepping wood panels
- Adding hand or machine stitching to a piece
- Writing out notes or ideas – even a blog post!
I share this list, just to give examples of what this hour looks like for me. And, if I don’t finish my task that morning, I know I’ll pick it up again tomorrow.
So, if you feel stuck, waiting for the perfect moment to get started…
If you’re looking for time…. Start small with 15 or 30 minutes. Pick something doable like cutting a stencil. The next day use that stencil/mask to print a single gel print. The next day use it again in a different color.
If you’re looking for quiet…. Try headphones and turn that background noise into pleasant music. Or take a small stash of collage supplies to the library or a local park (weather permitting).
If you’re looking for space…Sometimes this is the hardest one. It can feel daunting to get supplies out when you don’t have dedicated space to leave the mess. So, try a container that has a few supplies and a sketchbook. Items easy to use at your kitchen table, but just as quickly can be tossed back into the box. A simple box of gel printing supplies might have a single plate, brayer, palette knife, 3-4 paints, a couple masks, a couple found objects, printing paper, and wipes/rags. Switch out the supplies as needed or once a week. And have an extra bin for all the prints you make!
Today my “perfect” days all start with a little art. On my birthday I still woke up early, discovered a bug bite on my cheek and immediately got a nose bleed, but I still got to work on a new collage, so it was a pretty perfect day.