Why are you UNinspired?

May is a whackadoodle insane schedule in the Cameron household, as it is for so many other people (but my rant about how everything is crammed into the month of May is for a different blog altogether...). So I was feeling rather uninspired to write a blog post for today. Because honestly, I haven't even stepped foot in my studio except to deposit some new beads and frit (small chunks of glass to use in lampworking) that came in the mail.

So I've decided to write about what causes uninspiration (yes, I made that word up). On this blog and many others, there are tips on how to get inspired when in a creative funk. They are overflowing with ways to get inspired for all sorts of different people, because not every person is the same. However, I cannot recall an article that discusses what can cause the loss of inspiration in the first place.

Clutter:

My lampworking space before some tidying up. My jewelry bench is on the far end of this space. 

Ask to see the workspace of just about any creative type and they will probably cringe and make excuses. Why? Because it's a freaking disaster zone. They may worry about legal liability if one of the stacks topples over onto the visitor.

Many jewelry makers show photos of their benches with a 3"x3" clear space for making jewelry surrounded by piles of beads, chain, wire, thread, tools, etc. and claim they prefer it to be like that. I do the same thing. However, it gets to a point where I spend more time trying to find the bead I just set down for a second as it somehow disappears into the mess. Here's the biggie: I find myself avoiding the studio when it gets that bad. 

After the clean-up

When I start avoiding my studio because it's too much disaster, I start cleaning. Do you want to know what happens? I find stuff. And finding that stuff gives me ideas. Ideas which I need to try immediately. Sometimes I give in to it and start making stuff. Sometimes I draw a quick sketch and put the item which caused the idea to form with the sketch in a prominent location on my bench so that when I finish cleaning, I can immediately get back to making a mess again.

Too many choices:

Us creative types are collectors and hoarders by nature. I cannot even count how many different colors of glass or different beads I own. When faced with a wall of glass or a shelving unit filled with beads, it can cause a person to freeze up.

If this happens when I'm making beads, I will select a single color for the main color and maybe one or two other colors as accents and just start playing with them. Often the ideas will start coming fast and furious at this point.

Look at all those pretty colors....which one do I use? 

If it happens when I am making jewelry, I select a single component I want to work with. Then I start trying to figure out how to make it "sing". It's strange that working within certain restraints actually increases creativity and inspiration.

Making ugly stuff:

What about those days when everything you touch seems to turn into some hideous monstrosity and you feel like a total failure? One way to deal is to step away from the bench. Or...start playing. Have you ever wanted to try something you see in your mind but haven't had time to actually try yet? Do that. Or construct something that is totally inappropriate to wear, but looks cool. Spend time playing with your materials. Our brains need that.

Monkey on my back Syndrome:

photo from 401(k) 2013 Flickr photostream 

Is there something that needs to be done that is weighing you down, but you avoid doing it? Like...paperwork or a commission or weeding or whatever that thing is that is stopping you. Do it and get it over with. You will immediately feel lighter and it frees your brain to be inspired and creative again.

Have a Creative Week!

-Jen Cameron
Glass Addictions