Some years ago, a local artist was making ceramic pins that said ‘Art Saves Lives’. I found them humorous and sweet but really does art save lives? Seemed indulgent and a bit of an exaggeration to me.
Then I went through a very, very dark period and only when I finally accessed my creative instincts did I begin to recover. Both through writing and making art. Art saved my life.
These are hard times for us all over the globe. Some being more seriously affected than others. But we are united in a global bond of anxiety. And I realize that more than anything I want to be in my studio. I’ve started a body of work I call ‘Sail Away’, small ceramic boats in boxes. It wasn’t until I had several made that I realized I was fantasizing about being aboard, smooth sailing ahead to a safe and beautiful place.
I attach two images, poorly photographed but you get the idea of my fantasy project. Scale small (10"x 6" x 4" max), clay, bee's wax, pigment, copper bluemoon.jpg treeleaf.jpg
Let your creative self surface, now is the time! The world needs your creative power.
Now from Meitou:
Anne has talked about her 'fantasy project'. In these difficult times, when movement is restricted and many sources of material aren't available to us, the one constant we have is our imagination.
Using what resources you have on hand, and using locations locally available to you, can you express the emotions you are processing at the moment? You may want to escape into a safe haven like Anne, you may want to enter fully into places of fear, or of hope. You may simply want to allow everything you are feeling right now, the confusion, not knowing, uncertainty to spill out intuitively without too much reflection.
You may, like me, enjoy the challenge of finding ways to be creative when all your normal avenues of expression have been restricted or removed. I can no longer take photos when I go out, I am required by law to go from location A (home) to B for an urgent legitimate reason as stated on a self certificate which I must present to the police on demand. These forms are entering into our culture as icons, not just of the terrible times we are living through, but as a reminder that Italian bureaucracy is one feature of our lives that Covid 19 will never kill. They have already been amended twice, and their previous incarnations may appear in my contribution to this project.
As with our previous project, drop all ideas of self judgement, just enter fully into the process, let it assist and guide your imagination.
And as usual, your creative output can take whatever form you choose; images, words, music, fibre art, organic, anything you like. Use your imagination!
Reply With Quote