The Need For An Artistic Community

(work done by and amazing fellow artist and IG friend Kelly. Check out her blog over at kellysartjournaling.blogspot.com)

I'm crafting this post from my bed. Not only am I crafting this message from my bed, I'm using the speech to type method. I just don't have the energy.

It's early in the morning, and yesterday was that kind of day. You know... pensive, sullen, dreary...just plain ole' blah. It's been the type of day where I've had to make myself show up. One of those days that I have talked about in previous posts where I think I deserve a down day because of a day or two of previous hard work. 

I really need to work on what to call days like this. The days where my purpose/passion seem to be more arduous than my love for my craft. The days that are less unproductive than others.The days that my head isn't quite in the game or perhaps so deep in the game, I'm debilitated. The days that I doubt where I'm going on this journey as an artist. 

I really need a name for it. No really! A name would give me something to call out and explain (way better than trying to explain a feeling). I would put a list here, but the reality is...I can't think of anything quite clever enough to even warrant a name. 

I am starting to realize that my sense of blah may be coming from the need to live, breath and eat in an artistic community. I read an article last night that a friend posted on Twitter weeks ago called, "Why Your Friends Shape Your Happiness, Creativity, and Career" over at fastcompany.com. The article was interesting and re-affirmed what I've been thinking and writing about a lot.  My favorite quote from the article (and there were many fabulous ones), "When you are in the business of creating new products, ideas, or technologies, " he says, "you need to be close to other people who are in your field." ~Enrico Moretti. 

It seems so simple! We pull from others so that we ourselves can produce greater works. That's part of learning right! That's why we study the greats, have mentors and shadow others. All so that we can ultimately impact our creativity and productivity in new ways! 

I've started to make moves, and am determined to see those moves manifest by this time next year!

So despite how I felt today, I managed to get somethings done. I have been so crazy busy with creating, life and writing curriculum's for this upcoming month (which I will talk about in posts to come) that I haven't updated my Etsy shop as planned.

This weekend I took the time to do some product photography and will update the shop later this morning with a few more items. There is definitely more to come. I actually am on schedule to put things in the shop at least once a week from here on out. My old schedule of stocking the shop almost everyday was a joke. I mean, who was I kidding?

I have come up with a few new jewelry ideas and that will be reflective of the new stock. I do hope that you all enjoy the pieces! Take a gander http://www.etsy.com/shop/exo31art

Well I suppose that is it for now. Yesterday may haven been a bust (or half a bust), but tomorrow proves to be a brand new day bubbling with new opportunities!

Your Thoughts:

Do you have a name for your "blah" days? What are some specific things that you do to come out of the rut?

Until next post...