We have so many things that we juggle at once, that we can get lost in any one thread of life. Work is one of the easiest threads to get lost inside of... I know that from experience. Depending on our job or our work, depending on how important it is to us and our livelihood, we can lose sight of many other facets of our life as we focus on our job.
I get lost in my work - what I refer to as my "day job" - time and time again. Even when very focused on my art, I can still somehow lose myself in work. Recently, yet again, I began to lose sight of my art… At least to some small extent and for a few weeks. My job was taking up all my thoughts outside of work hours. I had thrown myself completely into a new job, losing sight of my outside goals and purpose. That is how I operate: I am all in. All my weekend or vacation hours -- and all my waking or semi-conscious thoughts -- were focused on work puzzles or challenges….
Can you relate to any of this?...
Finally, though, I have taken back the reins of my own life and my art life... And it feels wonderful! It took awhile, but I am back on track. I painted and I sculpted this week and over the weekend. I am wholly and artistically me again - with my vision clear as I move forward.
There are periods in our lives when we really must focus on our jobs than 100% of the time… To get ahead, to pay bills (like school loans), and to begin to move forward in our lives. Times like this, I refer to as times when we have to put our art up on a shelf just to survive. At such times, we promise ourselves that we will never leave our Art behind, or ignore it for very long, and we promise ourselves that we will get back to it up again soon.... I remember that I had to do this when I was in my final year of college, student teaching. I barely had the hours in a day to do all the lesson plans, create and grade tests, and prepare and teach myself in preparation for the next day's set of lessons. Then, there were the final exams, etc. Finally, about a year after graduation, I got a job. With that real job, came a major and permanent move to another state and all the changes that entails... So much adjustment and growing up in a condensed period of time! I was unprepared for it all... and it took several years until I could once again focus on my art and buy supplies. Keeping focus, however, I had made it "home" again--to my art! In my art, I found not only challenges, but joy and satisfaction. I was wholly ME again. Stay wholly YOU, as well!
Life has a way of throwing challenges our way, and as we live life fully in the company of those we love, it is our task as artists to never ignore our art!
Yours in Art,
Elaine
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