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A Better Approach to Creating

Most recognizable artists are recognizable because they have found their niche. I haven’t found mine, yet. I have been attempting to find my niche. My method for doing this has been to try many different media. Of course, this has resulted in a tidiness issue! The more I experiment, the more I accumulate. The more stuff that is out simultaneously, the more I give off the appearance of a slob. I have a habit of starting new projects partway through old ones, and although I am a finisher, I just have a hard time doing one project and one project only! Recognizing one’s weaknesses can be the first step to change. In order to restrain my impulses and cut down on the mess that comes along with creating, I have been trying to implement a few rules: No more than three concurrent projects.  As soon as I finish a piece, put the corresponding supples completely away. I have a tendency to take breaks between media so I can be excited every time I get out those supplies, which isn...
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Creativity and Hoarding

This past weekend, I laid all of my art out on my bedroom floor. Anything that wasn't still attached to a sketchbook came out of the depths of storage and onto the floor. I have a fairly large bedroom, and I covered every inch of floor space. It was a huge mess. When I showed my husband, all he did was softly say, "Oh." I didn't count how many pieces there were. That's never been my a part of my take on minimalism. But I did hold each piece in my hand and decide if it was worth having in my life. Why do I have all this stuff ? Because I love to create! I don't know how else to explain it. I just have this insatiable desire inside me to make things. I tend to enjoy making things more than I enjoy having the finished project. I love using my hands, being hunched over a piece of paper with whatever media I feel like using that day. And that's not a part of my persona that I am willing (or possibly even able) to change. The problem lies in the st...

Why Minimalism?

"The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen." -Lee Iococca Why do I want to be a minimalist? I want to have more money for more important expenditures, like: Paying off my house Finishing my landscaping so my kids can play outside more A reliable car Kids' educational savings plan My own retirement account and better contributions to retirement accounts I don't want my house to get messy so frequently and easily. I don't want to feel like I have to navigate through my things in order to live my life. I want that feeling of looking around my house and loving everything I see. I want my house to breathe. I don't want to see things I bought and realize how little I used or loved something I spent money on. "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." -William Morris Why have fewer possessions? Less to care for Less to get lost Les...