I am often asked how, as a full-time homeschool mom, I manage to create art. The answer is quite simply, that I create in the crevices – in the little nooks and crannies of my schedule. {and in the occasional odd location} I have learned to create in scenarios that are not ideal. {at least not up to the standard of what I consider to be the “perfect” environment”.}
I carry my journal everywhere. {along with a bag of supplies like glue sticks, masking tape and gel pens} I create & collect in spare minutes spent waiting, in the early morning before the day officially starts and in the late night if I awaken. I sketch in the car, doodle while watching {well, listening to} TV and do post on photos while waiting on the Brilliants to finish rehearsal. The quantity of my art increased when I gave myself permission to create in spaces other than my studio. Seems simple, but my perfectionism runs deep and until a few years ago, if I couldn’t get quiet in my set-aside space, I didn’t really make art.
However, a shift happened when Rands bought me a camera. I started taking it everywhere and got into the habit of seeing and capturing daily. Carrying the camera, awakened the old habit of carrying a sketchbook/journal which in turn facilitated drawing and writing skills that had lain dormant. What started out as sharing photo galleries with family, eventually became a blog, which lead to even more self-permission. As I started labeling more in my life as art, seeing and creating became a daily practice. Art-in-the-crevices is a way of life for me. I believe that art exists in everyday life, if we simply recognize and make room for it.
Today’s art-in-the-crevices happened when I:
* painted a journal page that had writing
* wrote on a page that had paint {pages happen in spurts. I rarely finish a page all in one sitting.}
* had a meaningful conversation {and took notes – decorative & functional}
* ate beautiful food
* ate regular food with a side dish of family time that was full of good storytelling
* sketched while watching TV
* saved tea tags, coffee packaging and a chocolate wrapper for future collage
Where does your art-in-the-crevices happen?
“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.”
{H. Jackson Brown, Jr., author of Life’s Little Instruction Book}
