tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post8763732272722109698..comments2024-03-08T00:12:34.350-08:00Comments on Art and Quilts, cogitations thereon: How to be creative in stressful timesElizabeth Bartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-11528941503758898522020-08-12T06:26:47.116-07:002020-08-12T06:26:47.116-07:00good morning Kay, and thank you for writing!
You&#...good morning Kay, and thank you for writing!<br />You're right ...these little cures and reminders and goals and steps outlined help us over our initial inertia...I used to drive a very big old car...1938 Rover!....and it would take a gallon of gas/petrol to get it moving...but once the thing was rolling..it kept on going!<br />we were brought up to be productive every minute!! it's hard to step back and enjoy more sensual pleasures, but NOW is the time to regain and rejoice in the beauty of our natural world and the amazing set of senses that we have.<br />good luck!!! ElizabethElizabeth Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-54093788163754204672020-08-11T11:02:55.538-07:002020-08-11T11:02:55.538-07:00Thank you for this post! It was just what I neede...Thank you for this post! It was just what I needed. It's difficult to avoid feeling guilty about time "wasted" during this pandemic, when I could have been so much more productive. Since getting started is always the hardest part for me - and it's a challenge every single day - #6 on your list is a great idea. Doing just one small thing may be the way to deal with my inertia. <br />(And, I must say, #7 and #8 reminded me that, when I participated in your year-long masterclass a few years ago, one of the many things I learned was that I could actually meet the weekly/monthly deadlines and have twelve finished pieces of work at the end of the year!)kayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00806888344075888873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-23948679833050634852020-08-10T10:19:57.433-07:002020-08-10T10:19:57.433-07:00HI ELLE! Thank you for writing...you know several...HI ELLE! Thank you for writing...you know several folk have commented that this is one time that introversion is an advantage!!<br />Why not an "or else"....motivation, or rather a positive reinforcement to getting something finished.<br />I'm deep into death cleaning/decluttering and I'm piling everything up that MUST go in a very obvious place I see all the time!! when I finally take it to the thrift store, that beautiful empty space will be my reinforcement!!!<br />Not all UFOs are worth finishing - for you...but you know many people love to come across a half finished piece at a garage sale or thrift store...decide which ones mean the most to you personally, and give the others away...it will feel good!!!<br />all the best...ElizabethElizabeth Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-14582886632348850042020-08-10T08:26:37.405-07:002020-08-10T08:26:37.405-07:00As an introvert the isolating is not stressful and...As an introvert the isolating is not stressful and my hubby has set up the steps 1-5 when we began our retirement phase. He misses the Wed. senior meal and crib games and I the Thursday evening quilt group. I may suggest an online weekly date come fall when we usually start up. <br />But 6-8 is my nemesis. Thank you for this excellent post. I can see that I need a studio schedule and definitely some more accountability. Ideas are never a problem but finishing them is a big problem. hmm, I wonder if I can convince hubby to come up with an 'or else' motivation. lol<br />Again, thanks for helping me define the problem and giving some practical suggestions!ellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15188791638739872773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-84584266812537514532020-08-10T06:29:40.826-07:002020-08-10T06:29:40.826-07:00Hi Mags! and thanks for writing...you are totally ...Hi Mags! and thanks for writing...you are totally on the right track...keeping those social pathways open between you and your "neighbors" even if digitally!<br />And giving yourself time to appreciate small things...we have been watching lightning bugs...and looking for bats! and watching birds feed their young...<br /><br />Thank you for writing...and continued good luck with you drawing prompts! <br />ElizabethElizabeth Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-56911080812878980692020-08-09T23:45:12.617-07:002020-08-09T23:45:12.617-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Matah Hatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11518702742233999690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-58890973079049872552020-08-09T09:34:52.239-07:002020-08-09T09:34:52.239-07:004 of us who used to meet once a month at the &#...4 of us who used to meet once a month at the ' HotTin' art venue to share what we'd been up to have been taking it in turns to set a daily drawing prompt ( we're now up to Day 145! ). Most of us have been isolating to some extent and it's been a valued focus in our day . Sometimes we do a quick sketch or share work we've done in the past , we've learnt so much about each other. Rather than dashing around as I used to I've grown to appreciate the local and the small things like the bees visiting the garden ( they obviously like it , we had a swarm of 5000 !) Lots of ideas for when I eventually decide to work on something larger again.magsramsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16559934058887308651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-70504213934523528672020-08-08T09:07:59.050-07:002020-08-08T09:07:59.050-07:00Dear Anon in Northern Ireland...thanks for writing...Dear Anon in Northern Ireland...thanks for writing! that is a great idea, leaving something right where you are ready to get to the next step...so it's actually temply you. Gardening is so good...we're shady so I can't grow much to eat, but I'm revamping some of the borders...just a little bit each day. Here we have ticks and lots of critters to worry about, but I got some insect proof clothes and that makes it so safe and easy. And setting challenges...I'm sure that could be done online, or you can set a personal challenge. Elizabeth<br /><br />Dear Julie...and thank you for writing too!!!Yes...great idea...following a known path just to get moving...some writers say they'll just begin anywhere writing about their day or next door neighbor and then the creative juices gradually start flowing.<br />One needs to Prime the Pump as it were. Elizabeth<br /><br />Dear Linda, thank you so much for saying that many are experiencing this, I think it really helps to validate it, and not feel so alone. Again telling yourself you have to stick with it for a certain period of time no matter how little you seem to be achieving is a very good point. Elizabeth<br /><br />Dear Mary, thank you! Segmenting your day...I think is very important...structure ...I remember reading about a prisoner who devised a whole day in his mind...at each hour he would think about another different thing and thus was able to get through solitary confinement with no entertainment at all. I do hope that car ride comes about! ElizabethElizabeth Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264561300672786012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-85241955006766005062020-08-08T07:12:36.750-07:002020-08-08T07:12:36.750-07:00So good to see your smiling face! I will try to ad...So good to see your smiling face! I will try to add mine. Your letter is so extensive and inspirational. I have always kept lists, so when I began social distancing at home in March, I segmented my day with a list. <br />1. While I have my morning cuppa Joe, I catch up on all my social media so I can put it away for the rest of the day. <br />2. Then it is time to water the plants and do a tiny set of exercise<br />3. This is the hardest part. I must complete a part or all of a task that has continually been shoved to the bottom of the to do list. As a result, I have totally gleaned my hard drive and backed it up in Dropbox and on an external drive. This took over 2 weeks of snatches of time, and it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated because I found so many interesting and nostalgic things. AND, now I can grab everything I need when designing on my iPad from the Dropbox. It makes me excited to design.<br />4. Then time organizing and cleaning or actually making in my studio. I enjoy all of that, and if I am not in a making mood, the cleanup usually triggers ideas.<br />5. Meal planning and preparing<br />6. PBS movies (Acorn) with my husband or reading.<br />This gives me structure to my day - not required to stay with it, as a ride in the car is always welcome. Stay well!Mary Ritterhttp://maryritter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-4562089522947593152020-08-08T07:09:56.343-07:002020-08-08T07:09:56.343-07:00I have given myself permission to use a pattern to...I have given myself permission to use a pattern to get the structure to begin, and then exercise my creativity in selecting colors and fabrics within that structure. Very soon I found myself deviating from the pattern, and realized I was ready to begin creating my own designs again.Julienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-8399414369602580262020-08-08T00:55:22.317-07:002020-08-08T00:55:22.317-07:00Many people in my Art Quilt group are experiencing...Many people in my Art Quilt group are experiencing the same lack of motivation. Whenever I try something new but I am not sure how to start or even if I can do it, I just give myself 20 minutes to have a go. It takes the pressure off. All of your tips are great, Elizabeth.Linda Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15251668087604960451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-85095191943242492162020-08-08T00:24:37.677-07:002020-08-08T00:24:37.677-07:00Living here in N Ireland it is summer so I have t...Living here in N Ireland it is summer so I have to tend my vegetable garden and greenhouse so that fills a fair bit of the day. I find it hard to get going as I tend to make things for exhibitions or challenges so I like to have a bit of random log cabin scrap work (will be a bed quilt) on the go to satisfy my urge to create without effort or mind work. Fun comes in laying it out. <br />I try to always leave any creative work at a stage where I am wanting to do the next bit/thing, I have been spinning out a small piece so that I find it easy to get going. Like so many people I am feeling... what is the point of.......but I try to keep a cheerful demeanour as do not want to become apatheticAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com