Monday, February 05, 2007

growing pains and bright spots

I've said before that learning to be an artist doesn't prepare one for running an artist's business.
No wonder I'm burned out. Yes, I know having your own business is challenging, satisfying, interesting and all that. It's just fucking great.
It's tedious and tiring and exasperating too.
Mostly though, it's necessary for many people.


Very soon I'll spend a couple of days in the studio for complete immersion in work on something that's not on the schedule...and music. Soon. These days generally choose themselves. When they arrive, we tend to recognize them, don't you think?

For about five seconds I considered focusing solely on the studio business for a year. You know, get everything in order, then make art.
PPffawwww. Uh. No. I'm not willing to invest that much of this present into that future. Tried that in my twenties. Stupid then, even more stupid now. Balance is better.

Not to mention that this plan would go against my New Year's Resolution and wouldn't be at all like time travel.
Besides, it assumes I actually have a choice. Silly, arrogant girl-thing.

I'll stick to trying to find a balance right now, between practical and fantastical. If you have a good trick for that one, please share with the rest of us. Perhaps it's not a balancing act, but a dance.

Wow. Suddenly I feel much better. I'm so glad we had this little talk. Thank you.

____

I've meant to mention Ravyn's tiny Valentine-painted foals. I've seen several of them in person. Very sweet.
eBay - Animals, Collectibles items on eBay.com


And to remind you that the Romatics at the Slaughterhouse pieces are still up on ebay for a couple more days.

Now for tea, and stories for Orion.

5 comments:

Carl V. Anderson said...

I agree that striking that kind of balance in life is important. Whether one is trying to balance something as closely related as your situation where your art/creativity is also part of your livelihood or whether it is just trying to balance and unrelated job and family obligations with creative outlets and relaxing hobbies. Also I think there are indeed days where you just *know* intuitively what sort of day you should be having and what you should be giving your focus and energy to that day. Its a bit like trying to combine a very structured, organized person with a very spontaneous one. At least that is what it is like for me as I try to strike a balance.

Derek Ash said...

This is what we like to hear, Lisa.

Anonymous said...

Many years ago, I used to dance. When you learn to dance (and here, I'm speaking of modern and ballet technique), you learn about balance. Balance requires strength. Balance requires measures of both rigidity and fluidity. Balance requires finding both your metaphysical and literal center. Balance requires imagination. So, yes, I for one, certainly see balance in my life as part of the dance. And when things are very crazy and very upsetting and very out of whack, I go to the center of the green carpet in the family room and with my eyes closed, carefully pull myself into an arabesque, and try to find that perfect sense of balance.

Derek Ash said...

That is actually incredibly cool. Thanks for sharing that.

Ballet as therapy.

Dan Guy said...

We would all do well to find a centering act like that, I think.

I'm thinking hard and realizing that I don't have one, apparently.