I have recently realised that I spend my week encouraging people to be creative and to use art to express themselves. However I do not practice what I preach. I find that my life has been so busy and that I spend so much of my energy trying to organise my work, my home and my relationships in a way that gives me more space and makes my life easier to negotiate. As a mother of two with a third on it's way I was really searching for ways to be able take care of the family as best I could but to not lose myself in the process. Being creative is what I do, in work I am referred to as 'The Art Lady' but lately I really have being feeling like a fraud.
Then I stumbled across some blogs about minimalism. I have for a long time being interested in simple living but was never really able to feel committed to it. Minimalism has much the same values but gave me a more practical way to incorporate it into my life. Basically you pare down your life to what is of real value and importance to you. It generally starts with the material clutter that you surround yourself with. Over the last month I have reduced my wardrobe, the kids toys, household things and paperwork by about 60 per cent. The was psychological impact was amazing. I felt clearer in my head. There wasn't so much to do. Even the everyday chores were easier.
Even though it is a process and I have more to do, I have finally found a way to create some space to be creative. The above picture is an embroidery piece that is part of a larger project I have been working on. It has sat in a box for months waiting to be completed. There is not that much left to do, but there was never time or space to do it. Tonight I am sitting down to finish it off. I am also beginning real, tangible work on an arts festival that I co-created, and am getting excited about a sculpture I am doing, instead of feeling that it was another item on a to-do list.
Below are a list of minimalist sites that might spark something.
Bring on the space and clarity, let us create.
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