Starling: Time Is On Our Side
Yes It Is....
This week, I was thinking about time and how that is so a part of our process. Time is a partner in our evolution and we can't rush it or slow it. It just sets our pace and helps us find rhythm. It can feel like it hinders us or limits us, and it can pull us forward or simply slip away.
So, as I confront how my time is about to change this week's episode gives us some ways to work with time.
This Week's Episode: Time Is On Our Side
Making Time For Your Practice & Being Patient
Some people need to put it in their schedule. To mark it on the calendar and stick to the calendar. Some people feel like they know they will get it in without that and need to be more flexible. You and only you know how you need to allow the time for your practice, but you do need to make sure it is one of the things you are making a priority.
And the importance of time to do nothing is actually central to your art practice. Down time and the time to just let the creative energy mill about in your brain is actually active artistic time. Boredom causes new thoughts. I know I need to be able to just have contemplation time (I can hear Hopper from Stranger Things saying "Mornings are for coffee and contemplation"). During this time, whenever you can get it, try to make it device free. No phone, TV or anything like that. I know some people need no music too. I think instrumental music can actually be useful, but if it distracts you go with silence. Time to let your mind wander and make associations will inspire you to action, without it your action may not feel inspired.
But don't dwell on inspiration as it is not actually important for action. You can get started whenever you have a chance. Time is precious so, show up and the inspiration will follow you. Even if it is 10 minutes here and there, it really is a way to keep the door open and energy moving.
Let time shape you and see how it causes evolution in your skills, thinking and overall art. Be patient with yourself. This is a lifelong relationship, and we are always in process. Don't judge yourself harshly, or really at all. See the long game and keep playing the short ones. The masterpiece you are making is being refined, slowly but surely.
Tips For Time
- Join a challenge or an online group for artists. This is a great way to motivate yourself. My online Facebook group is called Exploring Creatively and it is a place to continue the discussions we start with Starling. There are plenty of other challenge based groups that can be motivating too.
- Sign up for a class....as a student or a teacher. This would be an easy way to get into scheduled time and commit to developing a skill. Teaching something makes you evaluate how well you know something and can enhance your own development.
- The Sketchbook Project that the Brooklyn Art Library does was a huge motivator for me. It allows you to pick how you want to work but gives you a timeline and a basic structure to get you started. I highly recommend this for anyone who might be out of practice & looking to get back into a habit of creating.
- Give Yourself a deadline, make a contract. Deadlines work for lots of things and often if we are working independently on art, for personal development we may not have a deadline really. So make one. Agree to complete x numbers of works complete by a certain date and make a contract for yourself. You could even make a pact with a friend and agree to share the work on a specific day in the future. You could even time it with being able to submit to be in shows.
These are just a few tricks to try to get you motivated to build a relationship with time in your art practice.
This Week's Recommended Practices:
- Look at your organization system. How do you keep and maintain your ideas for the long game? Evaluate your methods for storing ideas so that, as time allows, you have a way to develop and expand on the ideas that peak your curiosity.
- Check your patience, procrastination and production levels. What is your relationship with time? Are you pushing yourself too much, not enough?
- Evaluate your personal views on time as it relates to your art practice. Do you think there isn't enough time? Are you getting to old for this, too young? Where do these ideas come from.
- Play with time. Look into stories, science and philosophy to explore time. There are so many ideas about humans and time. The idea of time travel, aging, history and so on can be great sources of inspiration. Consider how time can motivate some fundamental questions.
- Create around time as a theme. See what happens when you work with time as a theme. What can you create around time? Over time? In spite of time?