Picture Element 0.3

Human cells are made up of various compounds or differing molecules stuck together, also known as biomolecules. Same structure cells form tissue which forms organs, then an organ system, then an organism. Cells can be beautiful and come together in giant structural masses. As a side fact, there are over 30 trillion cells in the human body, and a little over half are considered bacterial. It sounds icky, but bacterial cells are a part of life and can even be more visually beautiful than other cells.
 
I find myself thinking about things pertaining to this creativity project throughout the day. Taking along a small sketchbook wherever I go is helpful in jotting down thoughts or ideas, as well as sketching as inspiration hits. Driving in my car brings up the most thoughts oddly enough, but I haven’t figured out a way to sketch, write, and drive at the same time. Maybe it’s like that because it’s a quiet space, and I only have to concentrate on the one act of driving.
 
I was asked the other day what my ritual is for allowing creativity into my everyday routine. I hadn’t given that a lot of thought yet, and really for the last few years creativity as a ritual has taken a big backseat.  I do realize that before I sit down to create anything I have to have my basic, daily chores done. I can’t have the dishes hanging over my head, or the pile of laundry looming at me like a giant hairy monster. My creativity doesn’t do well in that environment. But, ultimately having a set daily time to give thought to, play, and explore ideas has been in a giant, ugly void.
 
Twyla Tharp (2003) says that “turning something into a ritual eliminates the question, why am I doing this” (p.15)? And, I should say that ominous query creeps up in my mind often. I hate it when it does too. A set ritual should help to erase that question. So I’ve decided making a set ritual/schedule to be creative is something I will be implementing into this study and beyond. After all why should my daily ritual of doing the dishes, something I loath, be more important than sitting down and being creative.
 
Fear:
“Fears arise when you look back, and they arise when you look ahead. If you’re prone to disaster fantasies you may even find yourself caught in the middle, staring at your half-finished canvas and fearing both that you lack the ability to finish it, and that no one will understand it if you do” (Bayles & Orland, 1993, p. 14). This sums up my fears that last couple of days. Why? Because my vision is racing ahead of my execution (Bayles & Orland, 1993). I see the work much more clearly than I can execute it. This is normal though for even a master artist and it's as it should be. The need for more precise execution, will continue to help me push the work forward.