Not Feeling Up To Par? You Can Still Use That Time To Your Artistic Advantage
- Kari Crawford
- Feb 17, 2017
- 4 min read
Whether it's accidental or intentional, things like drinking too much or getting a cold or flu can wreak some havoc when trying to function the next day. When it happens to me, I certainly have zero desire to get up and do much of anything; so going out and snapping pictures or trying to start a new painting is like climbing Mount Everest with two broken legs - it's just not happening! But that doesn't mean that your day is lost completely. When experiencing your next recovery day, keep these ideas in mind so you can still feel like you are moving in the right direction with your art.
Search For Art Shows
Don't want to roll off the couch? Grab your cell phone and start Googling! There are an abundance of websites that provide every art show known to man for the year around the country, in addition to your neck of the neighborhood. It's always good to look far in advance for art events to be involved with given many have early cut off dates, in addition to being juried shows that say you are either in or you're out. In addition to random searching, get on social media and ask around. Even if you just started getting your art out there, chances are you know at least one person that does the same, so shoot a message over and see if that person has any leads on future events to try and be one of the sellers. I know personally, that making friends with like minded people has been wonderful in A.) knowing others that share your creative side and oddities and B.) can help you get your stuff out there for the public to be in awe of your work. You don't even have to do any phone calls or portfolios when you do find some shows that strike your fancy, just make a note of the information so that you have what you need on a more ambitious day when feeling better.
Post On Social Media
If you are already on social media asking around about upcoming art events, why not post something yourself? Even if you are too tired to work on a new image to put out there, have a memory flashback of an old one you did and the story that may go along with it. Heck, post a picture with nothing else with it. It is still something to capture an eye of people and beyond easy, even when feeling under the weather. You can also inform people of the potential art shows that you will be a part of or your thoughts on your next project to get people excited. That way you can keep your social media followers believing that you are feeling hunky dory and trucking right along with your distinctive form of art, even if lying in bed with no desire to move from that position for the day.
Watch a Movie
As I mentioned before in "Need A Way To Get Artistically Inspired?", watching a movie or even a TV show can get your mind going with ideas. I know when I'm physically feeling down and out, I oftentimes turn on Netflix and go to town with different movies and shows they have to offer and veg out. Do you do the same? Great! Well, while you're relaxing watching Saturday Night Fever or every episode of Orange Is The New Black, pay attention to not just the acting but also what is shown in the background. Every TV show and movie has a tremendous amount of props to make what they are putting out feel more realistic. Different art, photos, and objects are strewn about to further engross our minds in what we are watching. So use it to your artistic advantage. You never know what may catch your eye for your next creation. Even if you don't see anything that sparks a new idea, you still will notice something different within the film that you never picked up on before which always puts me in a new perspective on what I was watching. Really, it's a win - win.
Make a List And Check It Twice
Whether you pick up a notepad, a piece of paper lying around, your computer or your phone, you can easily start making your own personal list to help you gather your thoughts. I'm constantly keeping notes of anything my mind comes up with from random, daily to do's to ideas on my art, there is something around me at all times in case those things come flying through my brain and I need to catch them. So while laying around in recovery, pick up something and jot down wherever your mind wants to flow. It could be potential ideas for your next project, people you may want to contact, things to purchase for your next piece of art, to do's before your next show or whatever, it's just good to write it down so you know what you need to do when back in the saddle.
Clean Out Your Digital Camera
This may sound boring, but if you haven't done it in a while it is probably time to go through some of them. Just in my own experience, I oftentimes find myself rapidly trying to delete pictures at a time when I am in the middle of trying to snap a photo of something. I always think my camera has enough storage to forever hold every single picture taken, but that's not the case given how many I take. I learn that lesson the hard way every time. If you do photography, take advantage of not wanting to move around much to go through your digital camera (cell phone included) and free up some space for your next adventure. It may seem mundane at first, but it's not only frees up your camera, it may also remind you of some that you have forgotten about that you may want to take another look at to put out to the public eye.
So the next time you're feeling blah, just know that you can still have a feeling of accomplishment for the day with achieving things that are both easy and beneficial for the days that you are ready and raring to go.
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