after taking some time off to help my fam with my gran’s passing and funeral, followed by another 2 weeks of family sickness, i had lost a bit of momentum in the studio. on my supposed working days i had been finding myself extensively browsing ebay/etsy, having long lunches (some even with wine – scandalous!) and enjoying early-spring weather bike rides to “meetings”, which included some detours to my favourite shops on the way home.
i’m sure everyone has periods of time like this, and although it felt like slightly guilt-ridden (but equally pleasurable) procrastination, i was also re-stocking myself with nice experiences, inspiration and some deep breaths too – possibly just as important as actual work.
fittingly, i finished a sketchbook today as well. it’s a big one which i keep on my desk, and i started it in april last year. the pages don’t necessarily look pretty – its a mish-mash of scribbly hand-writing and lolly wrappers and various colour tests and kids drawings and things i found in the park. but i’ll always be able to go back to it and not only find new ideas, but also be reminded of what was going on in my life at this time. i have 19 other sketchbooks before this one, and the all do the same. they are like a my visual time capsules.
the above is almost the last page in the sketchbook, and some of my most recent work – yardage ideas for a new co-lab which gets released in october and some tests for a gocco print which is in this show next week. more details on both those things soon.
after writing a list a few hours ago, which to my horror contained more than 20 separate jobs, it has dawned on me that i’ve actually got a lot to do. time to stop the pleasurable procrastination and get cracking in a major way!
hope your having a good week x
Tags: exhibitions, new work, sketchbooks
i think everyone needs to take time out after losing someone…especially a treasured grandparent…it’s nice to forget about work and get back to nature…and i think too you realise life is too short….glad you are feeling revitalised…i am sorry about your gran x
gosh it’s hard to get out of the slump sometimes, i find i’m in one at the moment, i’m on the verge of working but then get distracted and can’t get that mojo back. need to close the browsers and have an internet break i think. wonder if that is possible? mmm loving long lunches that include wine! feel like one now hehe
ooh and loving your sketchbook pages, they are fab as always, i’m always amazed when i look back on my old sketchies – had some good ideas back then, where are they now?!!
i am glad to see you back, big hugs!! XOX
p.s. your sketchbook is amaaazing.
Gorgeous! Right… now I feel like I need a day of playing in my sketchbook.
It’s hard to find that balance between ‘filling the well’ and getting on with what needs to be done. It’s so true though, we have to fill up with inspiration. It’s just hard to recognise it as part of the work. I think it comes from what we’ve all had ingrained into us about what is valuable work and what isn’t.
Love your sketchbooks. It would be amazing to see them published into a book similar to what they have done with Sarah Ahearn Bellemare’s sketchbooks. I haven’t got a copy of it yet but I am looking forward to picking one up.