Howdy,
I'm just here today to remind you to stay on course! Keep making! Keep finding the fun in it. SO much of a creative life is unfortunately about feeding yourself, keeping the lights on and appearing somewhat successful and this never ending BORING conversation about “growth”. I'm just ready to re think and to sink back into the fun of it all. It sounds so strange but I forgot for a while that this is what I love to do. I love to paint, to make images, to fill sketchbooks, to write and make albums, to create books. That damned capitalist idea that validates everything by calling it WORK and then holds you hostage to a “WORK ethic” to validate the existence of what you do and of course who you are. Fuck it! Fuck it right in the eye!
I am going to be inconsistent. I am going to mess up and not know what I'm doing and find dead end after dead end. I am an artist not a machine. I am a human being with more mood swings than a feral playground filled with drunk teenages on a full moon. IM WEIRD. You are too by the way and yes, I mean that as a compliment. The point I'm trying to make is that whilst I understand the value of all the habits I've put in place I also have to understand the times when to put them down and just “be” for a while. I've not been great at communicating that with myself and the people that read my blogs ( both of you ). But I strive to do better. I am doing better.
So that's why there's been a lack of blogs and paintings this last 6 weeks. I've just not felt like making things. I've managed to finish a sketchbook and a few simple illustrations for my youtube channel but the big juicy stuff I want to paint I haven't started yet. That is changing though. I can't believe I tripped up again on the idea of making things “people” want to see instead of making the things that put a smile on my face. I forgot to PLAY. So, this is my offering today. If you're in any way creative and you've weighed down your art by calling it work let me remind you and let me remind myself with you that this is your JOY. Take a break if you need to but get back to it and make something just for you. Not to impress yourself but to lift your heart.
There, I said it. Now go make something.
Love you
Ryan x