Monday, October 5, 2009

Overwhelmed? Underwhelmed?

I've been away from the computer for approximately 72 hours. And now I feel completely lost. Damn computers. Why don't I just turn off the technological world and go create? Can I really do that?

On Friday, we went down to Roanoke, VA, to visit my mom in the hospital. We found out by talking to her doctor (something she had done only once, briefly) whom we ran into in the hall, that she did not have a heart attack. At least this year. He thinks she had a gastro-intestinal bug. Everyone one else (no doctors included) think that it was a reaction to her new heart medicine which he had prescribed. Anyway, we went to visit at the hospital Friday night, and she was released soon after we got there. She seems to slowly be recovering. Not easy when you have severe acid reflux, kidney problems, circulation problems, etc. The worry had me overwhelmed. The medical world, well, it leaves me underwhelmed. No one doctor seems to know what another has done or prescribed. So frustrating.

Now I am home and catching up on the blog world. So many artists have done so many wonderful things over the weekend. And these wonderful things have been photographed and documented and discussed. For all I know, spiders have taken over MY studio. Other artists blogs are asking deep questions or showing youtube videos of masterpiece making. I got nothing. So perhaps I should share what other people are doing.

Bridgette Guerzon Mills explains her results to an artistic exercise. One I am reluctant to do for what it may reveal about me.

Robyn Gordon at Art Propelled has gathered another round of artists, this time the theme being handwriting, text and type. All fantastic artists.

Jennifer DeDonato at Colorfly Studio has shared an awesome link to Dan the Monster Man, a papier mache artist.

Jo James is whipping up even more cool critters.

And Paula at Self Taught Artist talks about what it takes to put away your art (at least temporarily) and start your life over.

But here I sit on a Monday morning in front of the computer reading about all of this fantastic art and these creative lives. I feel overwhelmed. I don't know how I can possibly create with such incredible talent already out there. Then I think of what I have been doing lately. I really like my new little pieces, but I feel underwhelmed by them.

Perhaps it is the domestic day I am having. Yes, one of these housewife days. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It is just not the day I want. It is Monday. I'm supposed to be excited about getting into the studio. But instead, I have cleaned the bathroom (really needed it), eaten some bonbons, and I am now waiting for the Maytag repair man. He's supposed to come between 10:00 and 12:00. Anybody wanna liven things up by placing bets on when he will actually arrive. And then we can make bets about the cost of the repair on the dishwasher. Let me start . . .

11:15
$185.00

I've got no more to say. Gonna start some laundry and get out the Swiffer. I'd watch some stories on the TV, but that's not necessary as long as there's Facebook.

5 comments:

p said...

the mom thing sounds hard...my thoughts are with you all.
i feel like i'm disappearing like the wicked witch of the west, steam coming off of me and virtually evaporating into nothing. but thank you for a link to me...
uh, dishwasher repair guess: $135

ArtPropelled said...

Thanks for the mention, Kim. Glad your mom is recovering.
I've also been mooching around and you've made me realize that it's underwhelment. What we have to do is keep on plodding, keep on creating til the spell of underwhelment breaks. I'm spending far too much time on the internet too which is not good for creativity.

Chris said...

Having any kind of family connection is bad for art making. People just take up so much time. What can we do? We have them and we love them. My bathroom was bad, too, and I had to clean it instead of making art. I am looking ahead at a whole week of crap that will leave no time for art. We should all get a medal for making any art at all!

jason said...

Oh doctors...don't even get me started.

But I know some genuinely good ones too, so I guess that's that.

I'm just glad to hear that your mom's recovering it seems.

And I'm with you on the feeling of other's talent overwhelming you...that's how I often feel.

At my best I try to think that whatever I bring (good or bad) is "me"...something that no one else can bring....but then sometimes even that seems like not such a great thing too :)

lori vliegen said...

i'm glad that you got to spend some time with your mom, although i know that it's draining. it's so hard when so many things are out of our control....

i always have a more creative day in the studio after i've cleaned the house. i don't know why, i just do. and then there's the bonbons....

:))