Yesterday I received an email from MoveOn that Starbucks had come forward in support of the issue of Equality in Marriage and was being busted by the far-to-the-right-wing-nuts, so this morning when my son groaned about having to ride the bus to school I offered to drive him, then stopped at the local Starbucks and bought myself a soy latte. On the drive I was astonished by the blooming Forsythia, Magnolias, and daffodils everywhere. I sighed at the light green clouds that hover around the tree branches, soon to become full-green foliage. I stopped to buy some groceries and bought a bouquet of pink tulips for my studio today. By the time I arrived in my studio this morning I had perked up. My well was filled and now, I am ready to begin again.
I am in the midst of a deadline on a book that brings me great joy and great angst. I have never painted a book in this short amount of time and sometimes the panic gets so strong that I hit a wall. Yesterday was such a day. I felt stuck. More than stuck. I had hit the wall and it hurt. When I am not on deadline, the ideas flow. I feel free then, able to take long leisurely walks, meet friends for coffee, go to meetings, schools, movies, plays, readings, etc. All of which inspire my muse. But when I am on deadline and have to say no to everything, it is the little things that fill me up. Like driving my son to school and looking at spring springing, buying a latte, and bringing home tulips. Now to work!
9 comments:
Fresh flowers -- always inspirational! Everything is blooming around these parts, too, and I have yet to do my off-season pruning.... More distractions!!
Good luck with your deadline. If it helps, my son and I recently reread Scarecrow and I remain amazed by your talent!!
Thank you Mark. It does help.
Lauren, the season's awakening you observed on your drive to and from school indeed feels the well! Thanks for that bouquet picture. Tulips are my favorite (they're so graphic with their stremaline shape).
I have also been on a fast deadline for a book and also feeling very stuck. A little over a week ago my critique group of illustratos spent a substantial length of time going over each spread with me. I felt like I had four very sharp art directors. It gave me a strong sense of direction. I kind of meant to write about that as filling my well. I wonder if you have other artists that can look at your work with you and help you finetune and know how to move foreward? Best wishes to you on this!
oops, that's streamline, not stemaline.
Oh, Lauren, those signs of spring (especially tulips!) definitely fill the well. Redbuds are coming out all through my woods, and I love them.
Good luck with the deadline and bring home more tulips, if necessary!
Thanks both Christy and Edie- let's hope spring with all of its birth motions moves us in our book births! Hah! Christy, my husband Matthew is the one artist I let into my studio at this point. It helps quite a bit. I am glad you re-spelled streamline-- I was thinking there was some new work linked to tulips I had never heard of. Haha!
I kind of like the first spelling. It makes you sound smart when you say it out loud! Lauren, hang in there. You are doing the right things to refresh yourself. Christy, you hang in there too!!
I'm glad you are able to find little things to fill your well during this stressful time, Lauren. I wonder if taking a break, even amid this deadline, would help clear your head, or do you think you'd be too worried to enjoy it?
I've seen the dummy of your book, and just from that, I know it is going to be a sumptuous creation, and very unique, just like its subject matter.
Although I'm not a coffee drinker, I may have to stop by Starbucks just to support them and their stance on Marriage Equality. Thank you for the alert.
And also HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Thanks David! Actually, I am planning an extended weekend trip to Oberlin in April to see ruby's dance concert. I will bring back matter to edit for the book, but it will be a respite from the painting of the illustrations and I hope the break will be just what is needed for renewal.
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