I am often startled when friends call me 'prolific'. Lately I have been feeling deep in a hole of artistic drought with little water to feed me. So where do these observations come from? Recently a very artistic friend of mine Laurey Foulkes mentioned on Facebook, "The key is to keep at it, keep working, no matter what the results are... Nurture those small efforts with a big heart like you would for a small child, giving her all your love and support." I thought this was such a lovely way of describing those days when nothing seems to feed us, but as artists we still NEED to do something. It's those little 'somethings' that can quickly add up to being 'prolific'.
I've certainly had periods where I could barely sleep because of being in an artistic full speed shower - but they are always followed by periods of prolonged drought.
Another wonderful artist and blogger Lisa Congdon has a post titled: On Doing The Work. In it she has three pieces of advice on making art for a living:
1) this could take awhile so get started now (ie: don’t wait!)
2) show up and do the work everyday
3) be patient.
She also writes, "Success and opportunity never come to those who sit back and wish things were different. They come to those who do stuff." I love this! Simple, honest and true words of wisdom!
Working on my Moleskine Albums keeps me doing 'small efforts', and 'showing up to do some art work every day' even on those days I don't feel like it. Suddenly one day, it's filled and finished! It makes me feel as if the time flew by, despite it being months, and that I have something amazing to show for it! Suddenly it wasn't really a drought but instead I was slowly being prolific...
This particular album actually began a few years ago, with just the insects in the top photo. I re-found it again this winter and decided to finish it. Now it resides with a dear friend of mine who recently became a grandmother - a book of nature to share with her first grandchild.
