Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m stuck.
This #30edits abstract project I was so excited about is kicking my butt. I haven’t created a new one in almost a week, and I’m not really motivated to get back into it. Here’s the last…
So what is it that is leaving me flat about the whole thing?
Sure, it’s fun. It’s been good to see where each individual piece goes. But it feels like there is no purpose, no cohesiveness to the whole group of work. They are a series of individual pieces that don’t really relate to each other. And so far, they are not pushing me to much out of my comfort zone.
I’ve realized a few things lately, as I’ve worked through this project…
Since I’ve sat with my art for several weekends at art fairs, I’ve realized that there is something those winter trees give me, besides inspiration. They give me a cohesiveness to my work which is otherwise very disparate in style. Even in my last #30edits project, which resulted in vastly different pieces, they related to each other since they started with the same photograph. That creates a connection between the work at least in my own mind. A connection I can talk about with others. These abstracts have no relation to each other. For some reason that bugs me.
Maybe that bugs me because it feels that they have no story on their own. The only story in them is the processing itself, the project itself. Even though what I love about abstract art is the emotion of it, it doesn’t feel that there is an emotional driving force in the creation of them. They are interesting, but when they are done, they aren’t conveying something more to me, something inside of me, in the way my art does usually. I decided I don’t want to share the starting photograph of these, because it ruins the magic of the abstract. But maybe it also ruins the magic of creation in a way, that there is no clear tie to the starting photograph, which is usually so important to my process. You can’t tell that it started as this one thing and was transformed into something new but related.
So I’m trying to decide… Do I continue the #30edits Abstract project or do I stop? Will I find inspiration if I push through this stuck place? Or have I learned my lesson and I should focus on the thing that has given me some inspiration lately… The figure?
Trying to decide. And in the meantime, I’m barely creating.
That’s probably answer enough, isn’t it? Funny how it took writing a blog post for me to figure it out.
Time to follow my inspiration. #30edits Abstract is on hold, indefinitely.
Sometimes you have to try stuff and see how it works. No shame in that. Learing what doesn’t work for you may help clarify what does!
I think I said something similar to someone else recently – that determining what you don’t like to do can help you on the path to finding what you like to do. Thanks for echoing that back to me. I needed it!
The experimenting and the playing is invaluable. The tough part is determining what to keep and what to delete. (Ansel Adams said that the most important tool in the darkroom is the trash.) Plus, you have the major task of discerning whether or not you are on an adventure that you wish to continue and to pursue and develop.
Good for you. Only you can determine what truly nurtures your creative journey. You already know, the creative journey is extremely personal. What is true for one person may in no way be true for another. We each have to do the hard work of discernment when comes to our own individual creative journeys. It seems to me that your time with creating abstracts has been very beneficial for you. And what you have learned can be invaluable as you continue your artistic journey.
Love this statement, “Only you can determine what truly nurtures your creative journey.” So true. Sometimes it’s a matter of trusting our own instincts! Thanks for your thoughts, Jack. I have learned some good stuff in the abstract project. We’ll see where things go…
You’re an Artist . . Breathing, for you is Creative – Reaching out, is honest inclusive creation – whatever YOU decide – yep – Creative . . . and, all your stuff Rocks.
You considering stepping out towards New??? Yep, That’s BOLD Creativity expressing through you.
Wish i were right there to tempt a giggle . . . that breathing thing? You got this – just a few more in & out – and something exceptional is gonna trickle – then flow – you’ll float off without even realizing – yeah. you got this – you rock – You’re an Artist.
love & love,
-g-
Thanks! Breathing…
It’s a funny thing but abstract design is in my mind the most difficult process. When you start with something real and then abstract it you are already half way there, especially if it drew your eye in the first place. Starting from nothing leaves everything open and with so many decisions to be made it’s easy to go down the wrong path. Sometimes it all comes together in the end if you keep working it and then it feels good. But often times it just doesn’t jell. In that case I simply gesso over the board or canvas and start again. If trees inspire you keep working with those images. They sing to you–and to others.
Yes, abstract is both a challenge and an opportunity. I will continue to love what others do with it, knowing it’s more challenging than it looks…
Sometimes we set goals or decide to do something and then lose steam…most of the time we do actually…and depending on the circumstance it is good for us to push through and finish what we set our minds, efforts to and committed to. However, that being said, I think that the creative process is different. It is to be freeing and inspirational and not a burden. You tried something and it didn’t work…that isn’t failure…it is success because you TRIED. Creativity and art are about passion and heart…not about commitments necessarily. I say abandon away and follow what makes you hear sing…isn’t that why you started the creative process to begin with?
Yes, exactly! Love your thoughts.
Maybe it is time to take a moment and let the viewers of your art tell you the story they are seeing. Often when we create, we see a specific story. But at the same time, that finished project may just be saying something different to the viewer. And what they see can sometimes be completely different than what we intended, and Inspire us to a new path. Feedback can be powerful, and is integral to our creativity. Maybe your inner self is just waiting for the right feedback to bring it all together for you.
Maybe you need to give it more time alone, Sometimes when we try something new we aren’t ready to process our feelings about the results yet cause we are still ambivalent. It is always easier to love what we are good at! It is not easy to see the point of a process that hasn’t become part of us yet, and often we share the results too soon, before we have internalized the change. I took up your idea and made an abstract out of a tree photo. I cropped it then applied two filters and I believe there is a new something! Further to the comment above, What do you see? It has the colours and, and shapes and an essence of summer under a canopy, at least for me.
One day I’ll learn how to do a proper link… but it is under ..current work abstract photos on my website:
freehandimpressions.com
As much as your art, which is always inspiring to me, I love the personality that shines through in your work, and is evidenced in all your heartfelt communication, especially your website and newsletter. Your conundrum is timely and resonating as I, too, have reached an impasse.
Running low on inspiration to continue my usual photographic image path, I recently set a goal of 100 totally abstract “paintings” in as many days, produced entirely on an iPad using only a few painting tools. I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to stretch into another area of pure artistic creativity. My main worry was that my Flickr friends would be perplexed at this sudden change from photography, yet the results were overwhelmingly supportive. Unlike your dilemma, however, I was inspired every day, exploring composition and color palettes, and happy that others seemed to like the results. I breezed through the 100 abstracts and finished feeling exhilarated and satisfied, like I had thoroughly scratched my itch.
OK, so what’s the problem?
Well…what now? I started that project because I was feeling like my years of exploring processing techniques had run its long course. And my abstract painting project was satisfying, but had also run its course.
So, today I read your latest newsletter, clicking through the link to your blog post, and the light switched on: that themes, bodies of cohesive work, the stories we try to tell ourselves about why this current piece matters and fits in, is what really sparks inspiration.
I’m currently out of gas. Uninspired. Needing a long break. But, because of your words, I now know this will pass with a new story…or three…or twenty. And there are new shared, camera based, art forms emerging as new avenues to explore.
Meanwhile, thank you, Kat for this post. And for continuing to spark inspiration for myself and many others.
I totally understand. I continued with it through all 30 edits because I was learning so much about apps…new and old. Like you, I was sort of frustrated with moving on to something new all the time so I challenged myself to come up with new abstracts for the same photo. i think I came up with 12 of them. I think I’m done with abstracts, for awhile at least. But I do appreciate the challenge, so thanks!