This was both serendipitous and ironic listening for me this week on the way to a writing retreat. Circling back round today to take in the clock work by Josephine. Fascinated about the starting fresh to compete in one sitting approach. I really struggle to pick up threads of work again unless I start with a blank page and use that previous work to ‘pluck’ ideas from.
Thanks so much for this essay. I love the way you are taking inspiration from daily life and feeding it back into your work. You are right, I think it does all add up and influence our story.
I’ve taken so much from your work this year, thanks for writing, and hi from Aus 🇦🇺
It takes time for me to realize exactly what a piece is about... sometimes years. I loved the work of Pope L. and thanks for that interview with him... gives me hope for my work as I've traveled the roads from theatrical, performance work to visual work...
Wonderful description of the frustrations (and joy) of creating. It is never a straight path.
I hope you will return to the subject of the power of voice. An artist duo that might be of interest is Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller. https://cardiffmiller.com
Ooh! Thanks so much for referring me to Cardiff and Miller. I definitely will return to the subject (social mobility was the subject of my doctoral research, so it's close to my heart!)
Love this reminder. It's such a refreshing break from the laser focus that the working world seems to require, where you're supposed to know EXACTLY what you want and go get it. Or you're supposed to know exactly who you are as a writer and what service you're providing to your readers that they'll keep coming back for.
This reminds me of a distinction that Rick Bass made once between his activism and his art. Activism, he says, takes. It takes energy, it asks for money, it consumes time. By contrast, art gives. I don't think there is any way of creating meaningful or enduring art with an a priori profit motive. Maybe some can produce content that way, but that's different from the truth-seeking, discovery-hungry process of creation with giving as the primary motive.
This is all so true Joshua. The pressure to be +something+ perfectly wrapped up and ready is so intense. I just crack on with whatever I have to work out. Luckily some folks still want to read it.
I have just found your writings and am glad I did! I’m enjoying your perspective and appreciate you accessible writing style.
Your question about voice drudged up the memory of artwork I made in college in which I was yelling in a crowd of anonymous “suits” with the text “Sometimes, no matter what you say, or how loud you say it, nobody hears you.” I was inspired to make it after an experience of being ignored and interrupted by a group of male classmates. I felt so frustrated and powerless. In a more recent work, I include a woman breezing by a man in uniform who is mansplaining at her. I didn’t realize how related those works are, separated by 2 decades, and with a completely new take on voice. I’ve given power back to the female character all these years later. Finally.
Thank you for helping me see how far “we” have come.
Yes! You can find my work @realcreative.studio on Instagram. I have really been enjoying this mixed media direction the last couple years, and am excited for it to continue evolving. Thanks for looking!
Such an interesting article. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. My concious mind is taking time to absorb the words you've written and yet I felt a knowing inside when I read them.
I am an intuitive painter and it's so often my concious mind that can't solve the problem and it's the unconscious mind that feels like the alchemy when it comes through. I am still attempting to learn strategies to enable that to happen more often and shut out the concious.
Thanks for reading, Sue, I appreciate your thoughts on it! When I realise I am trying too hard to make something work I have to abandon ship because it NEVER works out! It's hard to shut out the conscious thoughts.
What a timely message as I'm about to head to an artist residency with no idea what I'm going to do or how to go forward in general. I'll take it as a sign not to freak out...
Thanks for these thoughts!…perhaps courage is there too!… but I love your idea of alchemy !.. the energy of sluicing together many thoughts , experiences in one moment!
It is a moment of creation …same in painting ! And I see how fear can creep in and stop the process!
Perhaps we need more than patience ?… a deeper dive, a recognition of the fear …
And finding a way to take the pressure of it off ?
I think being or connecting in nature helps hugely !.. in itself this too requires some courage !
Thanks so much for your thoughts Cathy, and for signing up as a paid sub! Excited to have you in the gang! Yes, I'm sure you're right that we may need more than patience. For me taking the pressure off is knowing when to walk away and not worrying about self-imposed deadlines. What's the worst that could happen? It definitely helped me this week.
I agree with you that connecting in nature helps -- it keeps me sane. Along with music. And my dog.
This was both serendipitous and ironic listening for me this week on the way to a writing retreat. Circling back round today to take in the clock work by Josephine. Fascinated about the starting fresh to compete in one sitting approach. I really struggle to pick up threads of work again unless I start with a blank page and use that previous work to ‘pluck’ ideas from.
Interesting. I don't start with a blank page, but I invariably rewrite almost completely so might as well have started from scratch.
Thanks so much for this essay. I love the way you are taking inspiration from daily life and feeding it back into your work. You are right, I think it does all add up and influence our story.
I’ve taken so much from your work this year, thanks for writing, and hi from Aus 🇦🇺
Julia! Thank you! I needed to hear this tonight. Hi from this brittle UK 🇬🇧
It takes time for me to realize exactly what a piece is about... sometimes years. I loved the work of Pope L. and thanks for that interview with him... gives me hope for my work as I've traveled the roads from theatrical, performance work to visual work...
He's so great! I love the diversity of his work.
Distance is such a useful thing, and can help join up the dots between early and later work.
Thanks for reading, Ann, I appreciate your thoughts.
Wonderful description of the frustrations (and joy) of creating. It is never a straight path.
I hope you will return to the subject of the power of voice. An artist duo that might be of interest is Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller. https://cardiffmiller.com
Ooh! Thanks so much for referring me to Cardiff and Miller. I definitely will return to the subject (social mobility was the subject of my doctoral research, so it's close to my heart!)
Love this reminder. It's such a refreshing break from the laser focus that the working world seems to require, where you're supposed to know EXACTLY what you want and go get it. Or you're supposed to know exactly who you are as a writer and what service you're providing to your readers that they'll keep coming back for.
This reminds me of a distinction that Rick Bass made once between his activism and his art. Activism, he says, takes. It takes energy, it asks for money, it consumes time. By contrast, art gives. I don't think there is any way of creating meaningful or enduring art with an a priori profit motive. Maybe some can produce content that way, but that's different from the truth-seeking, discovery-hungry process of creation with giving as the primary motive.
This is all so true Joshua. The pressure to be +something+ perfectly wrapped up and ready is so intense. I just crack on with whatever I have to work out. Luckily some folks still want to read it.
I have just found your writings and am glad I did! I’m enjoying your perspective and appreciate you accessible writing style.
Your question about voice drudged up the memory of artwork I made in college in which I was yelling in a crowd of anonymous “suits” with the text “Sometimes, no matter what you say, or how loud you say it, nobody hears you.” I was inspired to make it after an experience of being ignored and interrupted by a group of male classmates. I felt so frustrated and powerless. In a more recent work, I include a woman breezing by a man in uniform who is mansplaining at her. I didn’t realize how related those works are, separated by 2 decades, and with a completely new take on voice. I’ve given power back to the female character all these years later. Finally.
Thank you for helping me see how far “we” have come.
Thanks for reading, Laura and for your kind words. Your work sounds REALLY interesting! Do you have an instagram account I can look at / follow?
Yes! You can find my work @realcreative.studio on Instagram. I have really been enjoying this mixed media direction the last couple years, and am excited for it to continue evolving. Thanks for looking!
Such an interesting article. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. My concious mind is taking time to absorb the words you've written and yet I felt a knowing inside when I read them.
I am an intuitive painter and it's so often my concious mind that can't solve the problem and it's the unconscious mind that feels like the alchemy when it comes through. I am still attempting to learn strategies to enable that to happen more often and shut out the concious.
Thanks for reading, Sue, I appreciate your thoughts on it! When I realise I am trying too hard to make something work I have to abandon ship because it NEVER works out! It's hard to shut out the conscious thoughts.
What a timely message as I'm about to head to an artist residency with no idea what I'm going to do or how to go forward in general. I'll take it as a sign not to freak out...
Hope you have a terrific time on your artist residency! Listen to the thoughts in your head. Please report back afterwards with how it goes...
Hi Victoria
Thanks for these thoughts!…perhaps courage is there too!… but I love your idea of alchemy !.. the energy of sluicing together many thoughts , experiences in one moment!
It is a moment of creation …same in painting ! And I see how fear can creep in and stop the process!
Perhaps we need more than patience ?… a deeper dive, a recognition of the fear …
And finding a way to take the pressure of it off ?
I think being or connecting in nature helps hugely !.. in itself this too requires some courage !
Thanks for making me think
Cathy hayes
Thanks so much for your thoughts Cathy, and for signing up as a paid sub! Excited to have you in the gang! Yes, I'm sure you're right that we may need more than patience. For me taking the pressure off is knowing when to walk away and not worrying about self-imposed deadlines. What's the worst that could happen? It definitely helped me this week.
I agree with you that connecting in nature helps -- it keeps me sane. Along with music. And my dog.
Taking pressure off is huge !.. I agree , sometimes I can’t though !
And just have to accept the result ! Thanks for your reply x