Let Us Play
I have been tricky company for the past few days. In this state, everything around me becomes a mess. If a box of cubes falls to the floor, I am incapable of clearing it up. The problem stems from being stuck in a creative rut. I am able to write this as I have finally found a way out of the problem – but I have searched for almost a week, and found only exits I have found before.
I have been experimenting with new materials. The colours are inspiring, the materials are interesting, but every combination I put together looks either flat or familiar. I have been working direct, for the speed of the process, but although I can make local relationships work, the overall effect is pedestrian. I don’t give up. I chop out the work, and start again. Piles of adhesive covered materials build up on every surface. My new experiment is not working. I try something else. It doesn’t work either. I get out the hammer, and create even more trays of cubes and adhesive coated smalti soaking in water. The chaotic surroundings seem to reflect my state of mind, it’s out of control, but I can’t tidy up. Old cups and tea and coffee fill the studio. I can’t take the time to sweep the floor. Somehow, from the chaos, the solution will appear. In the meantime, everything looks worse and worse. I work until I no longer care, until the experiments are desperate, nihilistic and absurd. At the point where I am really out of control, something genuinely playful arrives. I am surprised by what I see. The blackness lifts, and I have a feeling of real delight.
this is what you call messsy — i dont’ think so. that said, i totally get the state of mind. Working and eventually finding grace through a flight of desperate frenzy is a familar way, but not the ONLY way. I rather associate it (outside my own experience) w/ the abstract expressionists and expect to see bottles and butts on the floor.
It makes me feel better to read another artist’s thoughts about creative frustration. I’m glad it had a happy ending for you.
Thought about this, and conclude for me mess is essential to the process, as it provides combinations and juxtapositions I can’t imagine in advance. On the whole, if I can imagine it, I already know where an experiment will take me. I want to go somewhere unfamiliar. The surprise is essential. Once I have the key though, I can calm down and tidy up.
I think it takes another creative person to recognise the state — although I don’t think the creative process is necessarily confined to art (not that either of you suggested it was!) I am sure a cook or an engineer, or a mathematician for that matter could feel much the same. I think breakthroughs always have an element of the haphazard, surprising or chancy about them — or the discovery would already have been made.
By the way George, the photo is pre, not post mess. Slightly ashamed of the chaos. Have put up caption as clarification.
Amendment: now I have come clean, and put up photo.
Out of chaos comes beauty .
This does not look like a mess to me, more like the ingredients
of a masterpiece in waiting.
What a generous interpretation. I do hope you are right!
I spy a wine bottle amidst the creative rubble. En vino veritas!
Oh if only it were. In fact it is a former wine bottle with a label stuck on it with masking tape, reading ‘GLUE WATER’. Don’t think the bottle aids inspiration — well, not mine anyway.
This sounds so familiar – in fact it sounds exactly how I felt last week – right down to the cups of coffee everywhere! It is strange how sometimes you start again the next day and everything drops into place. Well done for coming through the chaos!
Thanks — it was a relief! Hope you found a solution too.
Emma, your discussion of making a mess to come up with new possibilities in the work is interesting. I usually make a mess in the actual painting, and then start “cleaning it up” by adjusting forms and painting things out. Like your saying, this is a way to get forms and images you wouldn’t have thought up just looking at a blank surface.
I can handle a mess in an artwork, but if my space gets too messy I just can’t think! But maybe this is because I work in 2D, and having your space be a mess might work be more helpful for 3D.
Instead of saying 3D I should say 3D and 2D collage… anything that involves sticking lots stuff together.
I LOVE IT! I have determined that no good work comes from me when I work in a clean and organised environment. Chaos is integral to my creative process. I moved in to what would be the dream studio space 2 years ago and I can’t seem to function well in it. Although my chaotic garage , there it is bliss. The battle of the build is the beauty of the result. From the rumble there is grace.
ok, this is the photo I was looking for yesterday! BTW, this topic sure brought out the crowd. Talk about hitting a nerve.
It’s a balance I think, between the surprises delivered by chance and accident, and a structure imposed by the artist. Too much chaos borders on madness! I think you manage not to go down the mad route though Kim, and I hope I don’t either!
Me either for both of us! I think the border is never to far from a good artist’s peripheral vision. Once in a while we slip over the edge and then the art drags us back and balances the madness. Without the art the chaos is only madness.