As an artist I feel the pressure of creation. But as an artist I also feel the overwhelming heaviness of being present and focusing energy! This is something that is more prevalent amongst all people (not just artists) in today’s modern world. We have our passions and our lives, but we also are more spread out and in order to stay connected, we have to operate an entire web of social media outlets. I encourage my art friends to step back when you feel that way, and instead of expending your energies outward, focus them inward and to yourself.
Profile Sketch #1
Lothlenan: Art of Andrea Tamme
Photographer? Take a while to yourself and have an enjoyable photoshoot somewhere special, or during a time of day that you normally are too busy to shoot in. Make that time for yourself. Cancel social media for the week, cancel visiting people or going out for dinners. Just be in yourself for a while.
…instead of expending your energies outward, focus them inward and to yourself.
Illustrator? Take a while to just draw for the sake of drawing — and take it one step further, draw using a board of inspiration or a board of references, and open doors beyond your imagination. Don’t look at DMs or emails or anything that will eat up your creation time. Just spend some time doing your own thing. No deadlines. No expectations. Nothing. Just exploration and time with you, and your media.
What happens when we do this is we open up the pathways that allow us to make. We get rid of obstacles and stressors and pressures. We remove ourselves from an environment and a situation that impedes our progress, and we take control of our creative lives again.
Profile Sketch #2
Lothlenan: Art of Andrea Tamme
Once you’ve made your things, go back, share. And rinse and repeat (if required!). But hopefully you find balance again and find joy in art.
I leave you with those thoughts and ideas of expending less on others, and more on yourself. The more you create and the more you have to share, the more people you touch as a creator. And as creators, we have the very special power of bringing joy and inspiration to people of all sorts. We share the spark. It’s a privilege, and it’s our job to make sure that we don’t snuff out that power.
For me personally, I love every aspect of being a creator — making things, evolving, interacting with my audience, seeing the works of others! It’s such a blessing. But I also create out of joy, and when I feel that joy being threatened, I know it’s time to look inward and evaluate where the energy I have is being spent. Lately I noticed I was spending too much energy trying to make the people around me more comfortable. Instead of sitting down in my studio and creating, I was organizing aspects of other people’s lives because they are incapable or unmotivated to do it themselves. While it is kind, it can also be toxic — and thusly, I have ‘taken the week off’ and it’s been exactly what I needed.
I’ve been doing a lot of sketching lately and I will share it over on my Instagram and Twitter. Hope you enjoy these pieces as much as I do!
Take care of yourself! And while it is important to be kind … always be kindest to yourself, first.
<3 Andrea