Week 4 - 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

Surrendering to Creative Cycles -- This chapter really spoke to me - I sort of cycle through joy and frustration every day as I do this work. Making art your life is not really a popular choice when the world measures your worth in how much money you generate. I always disagreed with the idea of GNP being just based on money - so many fantastic accomplishments are measured outside of their monetary worth.
"Product" should not just be money!
When we look at the Greeks or Romans or any great civilization, we certainly don't measure their monetary output - we read their plays and poems, look at their sculpture and architecture, we ponder their creative work.
So, I am committed to this life I have chosen and to walk a creative path.
This month I am lucky enough to have a little note written about my website and this blog in the magazine Rubberstampmadness. It's just a little paragraph, but somehow even this little shout-out helps me keep on.
The question "How do you manage the bright spots in your creativity cycle?" is important - it is essential to rejoice at each little victory we have, even if very small and personal - just doing this work is brave and not always understood by a money making society.

For me, it is necessary to focus on the positive and to work hard to keep the negative at bay.
Like Rumi says, "where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure."
Life does come in ebb and flow, seasons of rejoicing, then struggle. It makes us all human to endure these cycles.
Sometimes I feel like I have more than my fair share of such struggles; health and money problems, work problems, very little "success" in the world's eyes - making almost no money at what I do, but then - there are 6 billion of us on this one small planet, and you know that if I have access to this computer, and a studio to make art in, I must be doing pretty durn well in the larger scheme of things.
I have a fantastically supportive husband and three great kids. . . .
Gratitude.
That really is the big big key.
To ride out the lows with knowing we are blessed in so many way.
and the lows really do help to make the art real.
Just look at Vincent Van Gogh, bless his dear heart.




"Diamonds are only chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs, you see." --Minnie Richard Smith