Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Right Now




I applied a paint splattered look on the base page of this layout. Part of me likes it, and part of me, not so much; nevertheless, it's good for me to try different techniques and share pages even when they aren't my definition of perfect... Funny thing is, this page has gotten better feedback on Two Peas (a scrapbooking gallery where I post my work) than a lot of pages that I thought were much better. The thing is, art is always subjective. What I consider my best work may be far less interesting to others who are influenced by different trends and preferences.

While working as a professional scrapbooker, much of the work I did was dictated by someone else... Use these products, apply this technique, remove this, add that, etc. After several years of working that way, it's been a battle to let go of the voices in my head and simply create. I often struggle to feel like a page is done, because I don't have someone telling me it was passed off in an official approval meeting. I hated those constraints while working within them, but at times I still find myself bound to them. Really, I know it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks, but I'm still working on that. I still feel desperate for approval and acknowledgment much of the time. I'm learning to let go and create because it makes me happy; create without concern about what anybody else thinks; create without constraints.

PS: Handwriting and the color yellow were never acceptable on artwork and wouldn't ever make it through an approval meeting... Just goes to show how SILLY it is to let someone else tell you what is or isn't good. I rather like the color yellow, and I'm learning to like my handwriting too...

L

2 comments:

Stephanie said...

Love the idea of a "right now" list. I think mine would have "be done with grading" somewhere near the top. :)

Thanks for the reminders that we need to be true to ourselves, LJ. I admire your fierce talent (stole that word from Tyra B) and your spirit of adventure.

Can I come visit you in that beach house in Carmel some day? Pretty please?

Unknown said...

I rather like the color yellow, it makes me happy!