I’ve been feeling it lately — that itchy feeling under my skin as my brain screams “Create something!” My Pinterest boards are filling up with inspirations of color and texture and light and shape and composition. The inspiration is there. The pull is there. And yet…
And yet, something still holds me back from simply sitting down and putting some sort of mark on a page.
I’ve convinced myself that I need significant time to sit down and “create.” No, it is not enough to pull out a sketchbook and pencil to sketch for a quick 10-15 minutes, I must have half of a day to set up my station and do art. Even though I know I would get “bored” working on the same piece after about 30 minutes because my artistic muscles are not in that kind of shape yet.
I’ve convinced myself that I have too many things on my schedule. Worse yet, I’ve decided creating visual art is not something I can schedule. As if it is not a “study” that benefits from routine practice much like playing a musical instrument, learning a language, or even simply reading a book. I’ve decided I cannot do “fine art” routinely for the muse cannot be beholden to a schedule. Ugh, how pretentious my view of painting and drawing has become when younger me longed for hours of coloring.
No, I suppose inspiration cannot be scheduled, like how I get my best plot ideas on the drives to and from work, or in the shower, or while cooking dinner. But, imagination in movement stays in movement. Once the writing begins, often the inspiration follows. So why can’t it be the same for my visual arts?
Just like I’m starting to make time again for my writing in little bursts throughout the week, I think I need to open up to the idea of treating my visual arts the same way. A sketch in the morning while I wait for the dog to come in, a sketch during lunch of the various plants on my desk, or playing with color after dinner before I move on to the next item on my seemingly never-ending list.
I certainly have more time now that I do not lose hours every night to scrolling. Most of this has been taken over by reading and sometimes by playing cozy video games like Terra Nil to feel a burst of hope.
So far I’ve read almost the entirety of another Catherine Cowles series, nearly all of the Lore Olympus books released, and I am making my way through the Monk and Robot duology by Becky Chambers. I’ve consumed a lot of great content even without the internet. When I do chance some social media, it’s with Pinterest which just seems to fuel my need to make, and SubStack which fuels the longing for a more creative life.
Any advice on how to find the balance between muse and schedule?
Happy Creating!
Rachel
Subtle Stories 