Here is today's progression of the embroidery I started yesterday that has taken on a life of its own and thrown my original plan to have individual daily projects right out the window.
There are a two concepts I have read about in history and witnessed in my own life:
1. Intensive handwork takes ridiculous amounts of time, and is generally supported by a patron or benefactor.
2.Creativity often lives in a world apart from 'reality' creating a reality of its own.
So while I originally intended individual daily projects, I am being put to the test to either put my needle down and find a more succint form of expression,
OR
take joy in the form of daily project Creativity has dictated.
Creativity can be interpreted in so many ways. Without resorting to the dictionary I would venture to say it is another word for problem-solving, but with an intuitive twist. It comes in so many forms; I've always considered it quite sad that our culture commonly attaches it to artistic expression alone, when, in fact, museums are full of everyday objects from the past that have been elevated to Art by their efficiency of design and/or craftsmanship. The everyday object that has been made with intention can be an exquisite thing of beauty. Of course, capital "A" Art isn't necessarily beautiful, but it is made with intention. That said, I see creativity everywhere: the way language is used by someone who is extremely articulate and, vice versa, the way it is used by someone who is using it as a new form of expression. Both speak with intention, the former with a wide palette, the latter with a limited palette. The same can be said of someone well-versed in engineering who makes an amazing car, and someone with a more limited knowledge, who can still assemble a most amazing machine from found parts!
Personally, I am never happier than when I let Creativity take me where It wants to go. Yes, I am somewhat conscious ;) of where I want my work to go, but Oh, the feeling when one can work with abandon!
We must be kind to ourselves as we proceed, each step a lesson learned.
6 comments:
Lorraine....I just spent a nice long time posting a comment, only to find my internet connection had gone AWOL....so here I go again! I applaud your efforts at a daily project....I found the day came around again much too quickly! Who can keep up? This is a charming bit of embroidery and let it take you where it will....the process is slow, but much time for pondering too! I once heard a definition of creativity to be the ability to connect two or more disparate things....quite a paraphrase, I realize, but maybe it is akin to adding two plus three and getting 5.75! Wishing you joy and creativity outpouring for the coming year!
I agree with you Lorraine that doing something daily is not the point for me if I am not truly engaged. I wanted my daily project to be something I did daily, but not something I had to finish daily. So I think that this works for me with my theme of Celebration and making something New for January in celebration of a New Year. I love your embroidery. Your pattern and the amazing little stitches shows that you are doing this with mindfulness in mind. I think that is really the point of a daily project...to give us discipline growth and a point of meditation.
Peace.
Thank you Patti. Don't you hate that when that happens with our long pithy comments lost into the ether? That has happened to me on your blog.
I read your interpretation as the whole being more than the sum of the parts; I am fascinated by that phenomenon, and begin to see it in so many ways.
"Joy and creativity outpouring" What could be better? I wish you the same, my creative friend.
Dear Snail Cloth, I thank you for your thoughtful comments that make me feel heard as an artist. And I love your insight that the daily project was "not something I had to finish daily". I had misunderstood, in my enthusiasm, my capacity to finish a daily project, and how difficult it would be to find time and energy to work on other ideas.
what lovely stitching! it's wonderful to see work in progress at various stages - images filled with hope and the promise of new life (of a new reality as you say).
it is a shame as you noted that people tend to limit the definition of creativity to artistic expression. i often wonder what this already enchanted world would look like if only we would remember that every moment is bursting with possibility for creative living. every little choice we make. if only we remembered that reality is so much more than what we see.
Thank you anca for your compliments and insight. Yes, I knew you would understand why my blog is so named and proceed from there with the abundance of choice that is still there for us to create a new reality. I'm delighted you've dropped in.
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