Darkness
Structures #66 ©2007 22" x 31"
Hello Darkness My Old Friend
Today was the first day of work after the clocks went back an hour (good bye daylight savings time until March) so as I was headed home at 5 it was already getting dark and by 5:30 it was all over. I had big plans to do tons of stuff tonight but found myself wandering aimlessly about the house for a while a bit disoriented.
I usually find this darker time to be a great period of motivation. I’m getting tons of sleep and it’s too cold out to want to wander about so my studio is the perfect place to be.
This year it feels odd. Probably the weather. Usually it’s fairly cold when this happens so it feels natural but this year it’s been in the 70s. It’s too warm for the days to be getting shorter! Which is really quite good in terms of pouring cement for the foundation of my new studio - I truly am very grateful the weather is on my side on this one.
Twitter to the Rescue
So after a bit of pacing and greeting the cats I naturally found myself in front of the computer instead of the sewing machine. No new email to distract me so off to twitter. I started to write something that felt whiny then realized I really don’t want to be that person.
So instead I found myself writing: First day home after dark from work. It’s going to take some serious energy to get me to that studio. Okay - no whining - off I go.
and headed to my studio for a little over 2 hours of art time today along with an hour of work on the website rewrite as I am determined this will be done within the next week.
I just had to decide to do it, and then I did. Thank you twitter for the chance to remind myself of that.
It’s a good day to follow up on my very productive weekend of 12 hours in the studio and 4 hours in the office. Kids are at their dad’s, boyfriend is out of town so no excuses to not stay focused and get stuff done.
Structures #66
I wanted art for the post today so selected a piece with a lot of black. I love this piece (do I say that about all of my work? Sometimes it feels that way, maybe because I rarely show the stuff that I don’t say that about).
I’ve never shown this textile painting in public and it’s pretty much lived in my closet it’s entire life. I need to find it a new home where it can get out of the darkness. I’m going to be putting all of my artwork on my new website over the next month (with prices - this piece is $1200 - which reminds me that I want to do a post about how I price my work) so I trust it will find a lighter place to live once the world knows it exists.
Posted by Lisa in: Being an Artist
Tagged: energy, Focus, Motivation, structures, twitter
Tina Mammoser said,
November 4, 2008 @ 3:05 am
I opened this post and went WOW! This piece should definitely not be in your closet! And funny what Twitter can do eh? 140 characters to motivate or guilt yourself into doing stuff, it’s amazing.
Tracy said,
November 4, 2008 @ 5:24 am
I opened this post expecting it to be deep thought, maybe bad news only to find you talking about time! I agree with Tina; this piece pops!
Back to time….you’re right it does take adjustment. My body clock still has me up early,and I fall asleep even earlier. And you’re also right in that it’s even more topsy turvey with the warmth here in Denver. To top it all off, my Christmas cactus is blooming. What’s up in the world?
Patty said,
November 4, 2008 @ 5:26 am
I am not crazy about the time change at all. It has been hard enough to deal with it getting darker earlier over the last few month as it creeped upon us, but this time change is like a slap in the face! I also find it takes a focused effort to get in a productive frame of mind to get something accomplished once I get to the house after work. I have been riding by bike and I take the bike trail back to the house in the evening which takes about an hour vs. in the morning the more direct route takes 25 minutes. I need the exercise and it is a safer way to ride with the amount traffic in the evening, but I find that all I want to do is sit down and the next thing I know I have wasted the whole evening! Love the piece you posted and I agree it needs to live somewhere else than in your closet!
Lora said,
November 4, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
Thanks for a look at your closet art and the timely post about the time change. These unusually balmly late October days in Southern California have been unusual, so it has been a bit disorienting to find it dark so early this week. You’ve inspired me to push myself to work this evening despite the handy distraction of election returns.
paula said,
November 4, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
I agree, its a great piece. (you call it painting…did I miss a post on what that is about? Is it painted or a reference, you always keep me on my toes)
Here in Vermont we are getting a few days of warmer, but have already had snow and frost and more snow and in the teens. The Mountain ski slopes pop out with whiteness.
Kinda of depressing, I liked not having time change in Arizona, hard to get used to and this is my 5 yr!
stay busy, glad you got up and in there….i find this time of year super productive.