What happens when you have young children, a job outside the home, a spouse or partner who lives with you and no time? Think about the times when you were seriously ill and couldn’t do anything for a long period of time, much less think about making art. Consider the events of moving and the time spent relocating, or career changes and job hunting.
Recently an artist responded to my first blog, “Regrouping.” by asking about the inability to do any art because of life changing circumstances. She was addressing the passage, ‘Imagine what we can make if we suspend judgment and let go of our restrictions? Imagine choosing courage instead of fear and most of all trusting in the ability to handle the outcome?’
There have been times when I had no time to make art and yes this is different then procrastination. The period in my life when my children were small, I was taking night classes and working, were tiring, stressful and harried. This was a time when I had to set aside personal pursuits, trust in my ability to overcome frustration, and have faith in the future where I would be able to carve out time to pursue creativity.
A wise artist told me once, that when you stop actively creating, your ideas are committed to memory and return as soon as time to create becomes available. When you return to making art, you will be able to come back to that place as if you never left. Only difference will be is that during that interim, experience and new information gathered will enrich and add to the formation of new ideas. She called that interim, an incubation period. I call it fertilization.
So in response to those who have no time to create, consider this a period of incubation where new ideas are developing and evolving and being stirred up which will eventually progress to a stage of effervescence. (To behave in a high-spirited or highly excited way). If you are feeling restricted by life’s events then trust in your ability to handle the outcome!
Fingado Art Gallery, Pam Fingado © 2011 All rights reserved
Jump Start – Coaching and Mentoring For Creative Individuals. Call (510) 593 9081or email pamfingado@fingadoartgallery for a free consultation.
I really appreciate this posting as it’s been such an issue for me. There are times when there is no time and it’s hard to keep up my identity as an artist. I have no great insights at the moment, but much experience with the situation. I’m sure it’s an issue shared by many.
How do artists find time to make art? What strategies do they use? is it a matter of time management, remaining flexible, sheer persistence or all of these?
You are correct in thinking it’s an issue shared by many artists. I think ‘finding enough time” is an issue that affects all of us whether we are artists or not. It’s how we live and choose to spend each day that makes a difference.
Making small changes like choosing to carve out a space each day for doing something we love is a good way to start.
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Thanks. I’m happy the blog is being read and appreciated.