The Importance of 'Going Away' to do your art!
The dog barks, the laundry is waiting, the kitchen has a dish in the sink....a family member calls, and before you know it, you are on Social Media checking out your latest friend's photos. Whatever resistance you are met with, usually has to be omitted or controlled, and is not easy. My intentions to start my day painting at 7 am, seem to be met with the world surrounding me, and 7 am turns into 2 pm.
I used to have a studio in another location that had set hours to open. This made me be in a studio at a certain time, even though I would still spend time cleaning before creating. Now that my art studio is in my house, carving out my creative time is challenging. This is my second voyage for carving out time to 'create' this year. The first, was in Florida, a few states away from me, and now I am in France, overseas, and any dog barking, is... not mine. It is wonderful. It gives my creativity a time to harvest, plant seeds, visualize my path, and......enjoy the silence. I am also practicing my French. I am at residency in Orquevaux France at the Chateau d'Orquevaux residency. I am enjoying the beautiful countryside of this small town of 96 residents, walking on cleansing walks, and laughing with other creatives, and seeing what other people do around the world.
This is like planning a vacation for my art persona. Someplace that it can expand, focus on an internal dialogue, and be met with a blank canvas daily or a string of creativity in a new setting, one that is so far away from my comfort zone, my persona can not rest. Think about your persona as a bear that can sometimes hibernate, and when it wakes up, it is hungry for food. That first meal is insatiable. That is what 'going away' for your art feels like. It is a necessary step in your creative process.
Do you have to go to France? In my opinion... yes, but "France" could be a different place for you. I am full of excitement and wake up at 7 am, and ready to create with no disturbance. Please consider investing in yourself, and feeding that hungry bear inside of you with a gourmet and filling cuisine. This is only my 3rd day here, and the excitement to be with my creative self in a studio in the hills of Orquevaux is indescribable. You must Try it!
Happy Creating!
Jennifer
