Friday, May 13, 2011

Aligning the planets


I've had a week of being ill, nightly insomnia and a house guest.  As a result, art has taken a back seat.  I always feel more out of sorts when I can't make progress in the studio.

I've browsed and read and planned and sketched but didn't get too far.   Tonight I'm working on the water in a previous painting Vertigo to finish off that painting while another previously abandoned piece waits in the wings to be revitalized.

Its interesting how, at least for me, everything physically must be in sync for paint or pencil to create its magic.  If just one thing is off kilter, it throws everything else.  I'm also at a bit of a crossroad.  So much is happening with me in art in terms of opportunity and commitment I wonder just how much I can fit in or what needs to change to accommodate it more easily.  Even with insomnia, there are still only so many hours in the day.

So I'll leave you with a sketch.  If all else fails, sketches still work. They don't demand the same level of planning or commitment as a full drawing does and allow me to skill practice, even if only on a small, brief scale.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

What a handsome man - fabulous sketch.

Hope all is aligned and in sync soon.

Anonymous said...

I agree! Being "off" physically can interrupt my creative juices, too. It's like I need to be in full throttle to help my self problem-solve better.

Even though it throws off my sleep schedule, I find that taking the down time is more productive and effective that trying to work thru inefficient times. (Not sure if this works w/ your insomnia.)

Here's to righting the ship!

Jeanette Jobson said...

I love sketching people especially in coffee shops. Even when they move around, the series of movements become repetitive if you watch carefully. You just wait and watch.

I don't really mind the downtime Tracy, but there's this internal clock that keeps chiming in, telling me I should be producing.

I'm getting back to normal (whatever that is) now I think.

Caroline Peña Bray said...

Sorry to hear you've been off kilter...but perhaps you might try and use it to your advantage? Whenever I feel out of sorts in one way or another I try to experiment more and see where what I'm feeling/doing will take me. Instead of working to my normal pattern and producing the usual stuff, I let completely let my mood or current state of being engulf me and channel it, without force, into some relaxed creativity where I place no expectations on myself. I often find this takes me in interesting directions that I never would have gone in had I just taken down time. Once I'm back to normal I always find myself incorporating some of these experimental finds into my usual routine/practice, often with great effect. It's one of my favourite ways to develop as an artist :o)

Hope the insomnia sorts itself out soon. If not, try doing some yoga - I always sleep so so soundly after a good yoga session :o)

Looking forward to seeing the bird finished soon, it's go great potential!