There’s something to be said for the crazy paced world we lived in before this pandemic. The ideas for projects and the motivation to tackle them was a little easier before. There was a lot of chaos and maybe even a bit of over stimulation coming at us everyday but as humans we are actually programmed to find positive things amongst all that. The artists and other creators out there need that. We need to see the world and all its craziness so that we can pinpoint certain parts of it to focus on and present back to others in different ways so they can see and feel what those things make others feel. It’s a way to connect and bring joy to others
You might find that you gravitate towards art that makes you feel comforted and secure or you might find yourself drawn to something that gets under your skin and you find yourself thinking about it for hours, days even. Either way, these things are an interpretation of something that was brought out by the artist to make you feel something.
During the lockdowns we are asked to say in our homes whenever possible, keep others safe by distancing ourselves. This means missing out on all the craziness that motivates and challenges us to make more, do better and push forward. This can be very depressing for someone who survives on creativity. It’s hard to look around the rooms that we are finding ourselves confined to and find inspiration. Thankfully we have the internet to dive into but it has its own downfalls too. As many have noticed in the past it is very easy to fall down a rabbit hole on YouTube or Pinterest. Unless you can pull yourself out of it it can take hours for you to realise that all that time is gone and you can’t remember a single thing that might have triggered a creative moment for you. Then you feel guilt that you just looked at everybody else’s amazing work and you’ve done nothing.
I’ve been there quite a few times. I have yet to find a foolproof way to stop falling down the holes and how to find the way out of them. A few times I’ve been able to start a motivational hunt with a bit more focus and kept myself in check (literally telling myself to stop looking after 15 minutes or so) as I searched for the mojo. I write down a few projects that I want to try and I pick one that I can start at that moment without the excuse of a shopping trip to hold me back. Some projects are done in stages so just make sure you have everything you need for the first stage, you can shop for stage two after you’ve got stage one done. Once I have one project picked, even if I have doubts about it, I then tell myself to just try it. Say it out loud and repeat it until you're physically working on it.
Sounds simple to some but others will understand where I’m coming from. Sometimes it’s like you’re paralyzed with self doubt that you won’t be able to do it or it will be a complete fail. I find I have to say it out loud, ”Just try it!” Just try it and see if it’s something you even want to attempt again once you’ve learned a bit after your first attempt.
First attempts are just that, a trial run. Like learning to walk we all fell on our butts a hundred times before we ever got that figured out. New projects for an artist, maker, crafter, whatever you want to call yourself, it’s all the same. We have to just try it first.
So with the hopes of inspiring others out there, I ask all you creators out there to just try something. Grab your paints, fabrics, tools of your trade whatever they may be and just try something. Even if it's a small project that you think won’t make a difference, just try it. Eventually you’ll get the confidence to just try a bigger project that you’ve had your eye on for a while. Embrace the mistakes and remember them so you can build your skills with a better understanding of it all. Fall on your butt, it’s the only way to learn and it will make your accomplishments better. And finally, the most important thing I can possibly say now is; HAVE FUN! The whole point of art passion. Living out your passion should always have some fun in it. Yes it’s hard work and you have to concentrate but you’ll find you’ll love your creations a thousand times more when you’ve let yourself have fun with it.