Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Creative Struggle

Sometimes being creative is a struggle, and right now I am in the resistance stage of a piece I am working on....

But instead of showing you the piece that is in the works, I thought I would show you the struggle I had with a piece that I finished some time ago.  It is a collage made with a number of tea bags that I had dyed and some botanical bits.   I then struggled with the focal bit.   Should it be a copy of a picture I took of a tree.....

Or perhaps just some more of some leaves I bleached,

Or a drawing of a bird I did.  
I wasn't happy with any of these things, and I um'd and ah'd for quite some time.  And then I turned the whole piece around.....
and went with the bird. 

Some pieces are such a struggle, while others come together so easily. 


12 comments:

  1. Kim, your collage is fantastic, love the colors and the bird, and I love your final result, but the tree fits also perfect for your background.
    Anni

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know exactly how you feel. I have just completed a piece for my newly decorated wall at home. At first I just didn't know where I was going with it. I didn't like it at all. But then I just added something to it that took me in a different direction and it is now hanging on my wall and I am pleased with it.
    I love your choice of the bird and the backround is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. yes, that´s true!
    But your collage is fantastic, I love the colors and composition, the bird in the circle, the material - I think in anyway you are the winner!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's wonderful. Sometimes you just gotta walk away or turn it around to see it in a new way. Great work!! I am sure that the "solution" to your creative block will come around soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Perfect. alway so impressed by your use of rich colors and depth in each piece.

    ReplyDelete
  6. isn't that the truth... but sometimes the ones we struggle with turn out the best...

    ReplyDelete
  7. But it's the "knowing" that is your creative genius when it is or isn't just right. That's the miracle of a creative artist.
    Sometimes I walk away for a very long time.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I agree with Caterina. It never feels finished to me if it was too easy!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love when the struggles lead you to new discoveries and (often) better pieces :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ain't that the truth! Some pieces 'make' themselves and others are like pulling teeth!
    The curse of creative endeavors I guess! Your collages never look like you've struggled. They are lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a stunning piece. I like that you showed the variations of possiblities.....I like them all:) but I said to myself...go with the bird,,,and by darn........chirp,chirp...
    Have a good weekend in paradise.

    ReplyDelete
  12. oh, the resistance! it is a struggle i know all too well. how wonderful to trace your process in these photos!

    ReplyDelete