Better Late than Never

Hello!

I realize that I have “somehow” lost track of time. It’s been about two weeks since I’ve had anything to say. And I’m not a big fan of rambling, if I can help it (and when I’m writing, I can…usually). It’s been a weird and busy two weeks — the kind where you know you’ve been moving around and doing stuff, but you aren’t really sure you’ve accomplished anything all the same. That’s where I’ve been.

And I know it’s a Monday, not a Friday, when I usually try to write. I’m so painfully aware it’s Monday. The ice storm that wasn’t has melted(?) and left everything just cold and dreary. My car wouldn’t start this morning and I had to call out of work today. So, I decided in the meantime I could pretend for one day that this job is my day job, and see how that feels. (Spoiler alert: I love it.)

I think the hardest part in a creative business like this is being creative. Originally I would have suspected it was the business side, but mostly that’s just been tedious. Being creative on the other hand is a challenge. I have no problem coming up with ideas and being inspired by my surroundings, but turning them into something tangible takes time and I’m having to learn how to be patient with the process.

On the flip side, I’ve been learning a lot about design and art from other artists and designers and I think in a way that can mess up your head where creativity is concerned. Sometimes it seems to affect the style of your work, but also the way you present it. In the pattern class that I so fully adored, everything was presented in the context of creating a “collection” of work. Not a portfolio, a collection — everything had to go together and fit a theme, because that makes sense in the context of patterns and fabrics, etc. But I think I was going overboard because I felt like everything had to be sorted and organized and presented in these easily digestible and cohesive collections. I’m learning that’s not really my style…because I think my personal style is so much more important to reflecting who I am and what I am trying to do.

Also, and this was equally if not more important, it was giving me an excuse to procrastinate. I was making the work, but wouldn’t finish it because “it didn’t go with anything.” So what? …My desk currently has a stack of linocuts to run so I can finally open my Etsy shop too, and again I was determined that it wasn’t ready until I had hit some magic number of pieces ready to go. Good grief. That’s got to end or I’ll never get started!

I realize now that I’m starting to ramble a bit… I guess what I’m trying to say is that being here today, I’ve decided officially to shake things up. I’m done sitting on my work forever, letting fear and the need for stuff to “make sense” keep me from sharing it. As of this morning, I have published two more pieces on Society6 that are now available as art prints! And as I continue to design stuff, I will continue to share it with you!

I’m sure I’ve got much more to learn about the business of art, and the work of being creative. Thank you for being patient with me and supporting me along the way!

-Belinda