Awoke at 4 a.m. to a loud scuffling under the bed to find Toby has made a stash of milk bones under the bed and was getting one. Oh, Toby.
Thinking about routine, and the importance of having one. Without having a set process and structure for the day's unfolding, it is easy to get lost. Lost in the transition from one activity to another, lost in distraction, certainly lost in technology. I have learned enough about myself to know that I can not adhere to a day fixed to a planner with hourly expectations to be met. Nope. I can, though, go through the day with a semi-conscious plan that seems to work. I get up around 5, take my pain medication (though I understand why people take pain meds and wait an hour to get up!), make coffee, feed the cats (who will not wait) and do a little writing on this blog. I like to try to find new art to look at to usher in the day and get me pointed in the right direction. Then, it is time to clean up the cages and "feed the farm" -- scrambled eggs and cheese for the pups (and me), fresh and hot veggies for the birdies. Then it is off to work during the week, housework on Sunday. Once in the throes of the day, all bets are off for how long the energy will last. That's the hard part. But, at least, I've managed a good start and got the bod going successfully. I know of people with RA that can't get out of bed in the morning, truly, and I am fighting against that...daily.
Where does artmaking fit in this routine during the school year? I have to be aggressive about house chores and have a good stretch of health to stay productive during the school week, but it can be done. Also, not being super fastidious about the home envrons helps, too. It is amazing what you can live with when you have to! An hour here, a few hours there, and projects start to catch fire. I wish I had the energy to stay up late like I used to as I could get more done at that hour after the "kids" go to bed, but during the school year I'm pretty beat by 9pm. One of my goals for the summer is to extend the night to eleven. Well, we have to have goals!
As part of this over-inspired life I lead, I have to limit the artistic playing field to suit the time I have right now. Inspiration is unlimited, time is not. I saw the artwork of Lynn Harrigan yesterday who took one year and focused on stitching every day. She created 365 little blocks, most of them 1.5" square. The result is a patchwork of textures and stitches that show an incredible amount of work. I wonder if this is all the stitching she did for the year? Was she able to do anything else ? I would love to have a meditative block per day project, but alas, the time just isn't there. Maybe if I reach retirement age...lol..or in the deep dream-like world of the afterlife that I hope to be able to return to someday...all art, all the time, no pain, no energy blocks. One can dream! In the meantime, here is a direct link to Mr. X-Stitch's interview with Lynn about her 2015 project.