As I have aged, I have become increasingly aware that I just don't do well with certain kinds of uncertainty.
At the moment, the uncertainty that is derailing some of my creative energy revolves around the fact that all the remaining arts and crafts shows we have applied to as vendors for the holiday season being in limbo, because the organizers are taking unusually long to decide on who to include in their fairs.
In a way, I suppose this could be seen as a positive in the wake of the "Covid Years," in the sense that the likely cause is that we are back to a situation with more applicants than space available.
Whereas I can appreciate the need to pick participants with care — aka "a juried and curated event" — it doesn't feel good to be "hanging" in a state of uncertainty.
I suppose I should still be going ahead at full speed on the creative front, creating loads of inventory to sell during the holidays, but here's the rub and why my enthusiasm is waning:
Without participating in the shows (3-4 of them), I'll just end up sitting on a huge stockpile... as I keep moaning and groaning about in this blog, online sales do not make up for missed in-person sales. However, if the shows do turn out to be a "go," I will need plenty of items to sell, or the whole thing would be pointless.
Alas, my heart isn't really in it at the moment and I find that I have mostly been doing non-creative things like catching up on old paperwork, sorting my "blank" stones and organizing supplies.
We are all different, of course, but the lesson here seems to be that I become creatively stagnant, absent a tangible goal to work towards.
Interestingly enough, that's much the same as I experienced it during the times of Covid lockdowns when there were no outside events. Even though I had almost endless time on my hands, I actually painted relatively little, because what was the point of just creating a giant pile of finished work with nowhere to go?
Some might point fingers and declare that I am "not a real artist" because I am not compulsively creating "just for the sake of creating."
I have to confess that is true... but it applies not just to my art, but pretty much to everything I undertake in life. Absent an objective, I turn into pretty much an inactive lump on a log.
Maybe all human beings have what we might call a "rest state;" the mental and emotional space we go to, absent something to stimulate us. Some people become self-motivated "Energizer bunnies" who just can't stand the idea of being at rest while others simply go to sleep, like a piece of technology in "standby mode."
I would self-categorize as being part of the latter... and hence I struggle with creativity when there's no "carrot" motivating me to do something.
And now, I am going to go do a makeover on my Amazon Handmade listings!
I appreciate you coming to visit and please do leave a comment if you feel so inclined!
Thank You!
If you enjoy painted rocks, do check out The Hive Rocks Project and help spread the word about Hive, while also being creative!
Because I am trying to make some semblance of income — a part time living, even — I now add this footer to all my posts, in the hope that someone, somewhere, might decide to take a further look at my work, and perhaps consider supporting independent art.
Thank you, in advance, for your consideration and support!
My Alchemy Stones Patreon appeal
Alchemy Stones web site and blog
Regardless, your upvotes and comments are always appreciated!
Thank you for supporting independent art & creativity!
2024.09.10 AS-TXT-274/244