it's so interesting to think about action and reaction, care of oneself and care for others...I couldn't imagine the amount of time it takes out of one to be a parent, and I applaud you for being conscientious enough to respect and honor your daughter as much as you do.
The dilemma, then, arises when confronted with one's work, one's artwork.
Although I am not a parent, I feel like the transition after 9/11/01 into the field of massage therapy took me very off base my own art axis. It was a willing choice; I felt stiffled as a teacher and was in mourning for the loss of my cousin and my city and needed a change. I went to school, graduated, started practicing massage and started identifying myself not as the artist I am, but as a Massage Therapist.
My identity was becoming very fixed, without my realizing it. I was separating many aspects of my life, not fostering my creative side or exploring the creative process through visual art, and concentrating all my energy into my bodywork...which is not to say bodywork isn't creative, but in a visual context it isn't.
Six years and two workshops later, I have made the conscious choice to return to my studio practice, my life practice as an artist. I've made that choice, and it feels like a surge of positive energy every time I wake up and commit to making my practice part of my life.
The reason I mention this is because it sounds to me like you are going through a similar orbit with your daughter. The questions you raise sound so familar. The great thing is that you are conscious about your position. I think this blog, this active communication with someone on the other side of the country, can be a pathway for you, a possible open door to re-exploring your work.
I had a printmaking party at my studio this afternoon; a couple of workshoppers came over. I cast a pair of hands; we all went out to lunch together. We used my press. It was uplifting to recognize the subtle power of commitment...to an idea, to a lifestyle, to principles they believe in. And to make a wonderful afternoon together.
No comments:
Post a Comment