Elusive creativity

Everyone's heard of writer's block or painters who are without inspiration to put brush to canvas for a while.  Sometimes athletes have slumps.  Occasionally we all get stuck in a rut.  Personally, I've been without creative inspiration for weeks and weeks.  Granted, we moved across the country and started a new life in a new place with new roles.  So I should probably give myself a break already, but the thing is this: I really like making things.  I like thinking about making things.  I like buying the things I need to make things.  I like looking at things that other people make - in galleries, on the internet, in magazines, on blogs, etc.  So why has my vision and imagination been eluding me?  

Without intensive psychotherapy, perhaps I will just chalk this up to being distracted with every day life.  And that is okay.  It happens.  And I can already feel myself being pulled back in the direction of creating.  A few nights ago I assembled a collage and framed it.  I don't love it.  I think I could have done it better.  But it's a step.  I taped and tacked things to the walls in my crafty, creative workspace.  I fished out some cool business cards from artists whose work I either own or really admire and put them in a bowl on my desk.  I hung a print on a wall that Tim bought over the summer as well as a photograph of my grandparents my mother gave to me.  So, it's coming back in some ways. 

owl patches that live on my wall

a close up print of my favorite Boticelli painting, handmade paper, a page from an art catalog

I do believe the intense fall colors and the way light filters over the landscape in the early evenings is helping.  Cooler weather and less hours of sunshine in the day encourage nesting amongst my bead stash and art supplies as well.  

the view across the Hudson