Never Give Up

As an entrepreneurial spirit, I have always had a drive to work independently and creatively.  Has everything I've tried worked out? Not by a long shot. And there have been several distinct time periods in my life where the crushing blows of failures kept me in a creatively dormant state for long periods of time.  Although there was no particularly difficult or crushing blow in 2016, my creativity was definitely one the wane.  I allowed it to be fallow and dormant.  I got distracted by other things.

Part of this perhaps stems from moving to a new home where my art studio is not insulated. Since Florida stays warm most of the year, the ambient outdoor temperature for example today on January 2 is hovering around 68 and is expected to get to the mid 70s.  This means that my studio will be in the mid 80s.  When the outdoor temperature in the summer was around 90, my studio temperature was in the 110 range. It is very difficult for me to get excited about working in a space that is that warm and knowing I'm going to sweat all over my artwork.

It also can stem from the fact that I have a lot of stuff in my art space--some of it unrelated to art. I need to clean it up, organize better and make room for what I really love to do.  I need to purge the supplies I do not use, need or want anymore.

But I'm not now and never have been a quitter. I may have had to rejuvenate. I may have had to reinvent. I may have had to alter course or change the way I was doing things. I may have had to start completely over. But I never quit. I never give up.

In the past few months or so, my creativity has been tugging at me--I've been drawn to painting again, to doing glass work, to creating more jewelry designs, and to working in my visual art journal.  I was creatively fed in 2016 by teaching art classes, working sporadically in my visual art journals, and doing several custom mosaic pieces for customers. I was creatively fed by practicing medieval illuminations with the Society for Creative Anachronisms.

At one time, I was driven by an interest in getting my work into big galleries, into art magazines, and being known as an artist on a larger scale. Although I certainly would welcome all of these, they no longer are my driving force for doing artwork. Now I want to spend time intimately with each piece that I do. I don't care if it takes me three days or three months to complete a painting so long as I truly know it is finished. I don't have to make dozens of pairs of earrings but I want whatever earrings I do make to be something I would either want to wear or be thrilled to give to a friend.

I am not formally trained as an artist and am mostly self taught. I do not know the "right" art people, I do not live in an especially arty location, and I certainly am a long way from any of the major art cities of the USA or World. I cannot give up my love of creative art just because I'm not going to be a world class artist. I cannot give up my love of creating even though I have no need for more artwork in my home.

My goal for January is to 1) clean up my art studio and research some ways I might be able to insulate it better; 2) work on more medieval arts/illuminations 3)begin a new painting or finish an old one and 4)work on revitalizing my website which I have taken to bare bones over the past 6 months because I was fed up with the web hosting system I was on.  I'm never going to give up on my creativity. I need it too much as it is one of the ways that I get into the "zone."  I love that sense of timelessness. I love connecting with that lightness of being and my truly creative self. I had forgotten my artful self this past year, but I am ready to reawaken.

In what ways have you given up on your artful self that you can rejuvenate, reinvent or reawaken your creativity?

(c) 2017, SZing, Bohemian Art Cafe. All Rights Reserved. Photographs courtesy of Pixabay public domain images.

Rejuvenating Creativity

One of my favorite ways to rejuvenate my creativity is to head to a library or a bookstore, my preference being the bookstore, since normally, there is a coffee shop attached.  I arm myself with the following:

my laptop
my phone and cord to charge it on the laptop
some cash for coffee
an open mind

When I get to the bookstore, I usually first do one of the following:

A.  Select as many arts, crafts and interiors/architectural/gardening magazines as I can hold. 

OR

B.  Randomly walk through the magazine and books and select items that are as off the wall as I can find or as different from my "normal" selections as I can get.

I take my findings to a table at the coffee shop and usually put a pad of paper and pen or some other item on top of them so people know that someone is sitting there (and so that, in the event that the staff happen to walk through during the next few minutes they won't re-shelve my hard won items).

I order my drink--even on a hot day, I can't help myself.  I love hot chai lattes.  Sometimes I get a little something sweet like a cranberry scone or a piece of lemon bar.  Sometimes I just focus on that venti latte.

Then I spend the next few hours pouring over the magazines and books.  I look at everything--the advertisements, the articles, the pictures. 

Why the laptop and phone?  If I find something that I want to remember or that jogs some other idea in my head, I snap a quick phone picture of it.  If that item really gets my creative energy flowing, I open my Windows One Notes "Creative Juice" Workbook and I type in notes and ideas related to whatever got me intrigued. 

I find that I especially get a "Kick in the Seat of the Pants" (referring to Roger Von Oech's book and creativity cards Creative Whack Pack) when I do option B--finding random items that are far from my normal interests. 

It is astounding what sorts of things can then come up for me.  For example, I was in a sort of "stuck" mode at one point.  I picked up a science magazine (don't recall which at this time) and was inspired by photographs of space and various anomalies.  I then found a magazine (another science one, perhaps the same as with the photos of space for all I know) and it had microscopic photos at a cellular level of various items.  I was supremely intrigued by the fact that...the photos were not all that dissimilar.  This then led me to design a five piece series of enamels on glass that were designed to emulate both types of design.  I plan to do some additional pieces of this type in the future.

It never fails to leave me feeling rejuvenated.  I often regret that the time allotted for this pastime is over. But I always begin that or the next day fully charged and ready with plenty of ideas and plans for creative works.

Reinventing an Art Studio

I think I deserve a little pat on the back.  I have, so far, kept my resolution to blog at least 3 times a week.  It's not so difficult, so long as I do it before I really get going with the day.  Also find that I have many ideas of things I can blog about...which is exciting.

Today I'm sharing the excruciating and exhilarating process of setting up a new studio.  The difficulty with this set up is that the interior is already full up with the boxes of art supplies and because of timing of moving, I didn't have the chance to put in flooring, insulation/walls, paint, lights or electric yet and they will be done a bit by bit over time.  What a challenge.  Of course, I've always liked challenges.

So here is the new Bohemian Art Cafe, where we serve art, not food.TM

This will be the new studio in Florida.  It is outside of our home.  I will miss being a part of a studio conglomerate.  Am reinventing where and how I get my work seen and sold. But have already gotten two locations where I will be showing and selling my artwork and have a contract for teaching starting in the fall.  Will also be able to offer small classes (4 to 6 people) here for fusing glass, stained glass, and enamel work.  Might even be re instituting my Tuesday Night Art Socials since we will have large tables outside and if the weather permits would be able to seat about 20 people inside and out.

 I also will miss my enormous window but I might be able to convince my sweetie to install a big window at some time in the future.

One of the first things that had to get done was to install air conditioning.  With the temperatures outside around 90+ degrees Fahrenheit and humid and only going to get hotter, it just gets stifling inside the studio space.  There will be two A/C units which should keep things cool.  We will be adding insulation and wall covering a bit at a time.

Hmmm.  Depressing.  Lots to do and all crammed together.  It is a slow, slow process of set up.  Even getting the space "finished" will be piece meal.  I will be doing the floors with a black and white industrial rubber tile, insulating and covering the walls and ceiling, painting the walls and ceiling, and putting in additional electrical outlets and lighting, plus some additional shelving space.  Can't wait to see the "FINISHED" product.

I've allotted June to get unpacked.  I hope I have enough time allotted, considering it is already a third of the way gone.

Ahhhh, is that a path I spy????

The counters are installed and clear--ready to receive materials.

And the chemicals/toxins cabinet is now reachable and ready for items.

*sigh* Blessed organization beginning to appear finally.

Watch for weekly updates on the process.  I find that I get overwhelmed after about 4 hours at a time and have to take a break.  If I don't take the break, I end up just moving stuff from one box to another and going in circles.  Best to leave and get a clear head and start fresh.  I won't have an "office" in this studio but will use the PC and printer/scanner in the house to do any design work or proposals I'm putting together.  It really is exciting but wearying to create a new studio.  I also miss doing artwork--but of course, I'm working very hard on not making new artwork until I can get some of the work I already have completed sold.  Mostly, I will miss the flow of artists and visitors and the interaction/exchange of creative energy and ideas.  I will rely on the blogging community and the local art league heavily for this.

Well, ta ta for now.  It's time to....go unpack some boxes.



Resolutions

"Beautiful Monster" most recently on display at the Oxford Community Art Center
May 2012 solo show (c) Stephanie Zing 2012 Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

Traditionally, New Resolutions are made on either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.  I missed that opportunity this year and with the many changes 2012 have wrought in my artistic life, it feels like now is the right time to consider what I want to do to reinvent my artistic world. I've moved away from my studio at the Pendleton Art Center in Middletown Ohio and am getting ready to embark on my exploration of the Gainesville/Ocala Florida artistic corridor.

I'm sad to say that for the third time in as many years, my art studio is in boxes waiting to be unpacked.  That fun begins June 1--and although I LOVED my studio in Oxford and I LOVED my studio in Middletown, I'm hoping that this third time really IS the charm and I can create my studio to be a permanent haven that reflects the look and feel I want it to--even if it takes me a while to get it there. 

I plan to document this process of recreating my studio, but in the meantime, I decided I need some public commitments to keep me on track.  I resolve:

1.  to blog at least three times a week.  Please follow my post and send me your comments and thoughts on my topics.  Feedback will help keep me motivated.

2.  to work on developing new venues to sell my current inventory before beginning new works.  With this in mind, I'll be revising and adding items to my Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/BohemianArtCafe  and Ebay http://myworld.ebay.com/bohemianartcafe stores (actually, I haven't had anything on either of them for a very long time--but that is going to change within the next 60 days.) I'll also be revising my website http://www.bohemianartcafe.com/.


3.  to develop a strong, new art community both virtually and here in my new homeland of Florida.  This includes finding a co-op where I can be a member, to find some venues for group or solo gallery shows, and to join the area art leagues.  I'm very excited to meet new friends, colleagues and see what people here are working on.

These feel like important resolutions.  Perhaps, since resolutions don't often get kept, setting them in the middle of the year will help me to keep them.  Blogging will also help.

Have you thought of setting new resolutions mid-year?  How do you keep your resolutions? I'm happy to hear any one's tips on keeping resolutions.