For the Love of Everything...

For several weeks now, I have been getting the "bug" to start an art project again. And not just doodle a bit in my dusty sketchbook, but actually finish a project, have it "gallery" ready so-to-speak. Let's just say, it's been a while.

Let me back up: So once upon a time I was known as an artist. Growing up I constantly had a pencil and sheet of paper in hand and I was always drawing. I drew without fear of anyone not liking what I did. I drew for hours on end. I made up little stories and characters. When my friends and I would play "pretend" I drew what all our little pretend people looked like first, our hair, our outfits... I think I always knew that when I grew up I would be an "artist." I pursued art throughout my entire education. I went to a university with a reputable art program and got my BFA in Illustration. But somewhere towards the end of getting my degree, this fire I had for drawing fizzled and dimmed.

In my last year of school, I remember being so stressed out all the time. I was *trying* to work full time and go to school full time. I was pulling all-nighters frequently to get projects done. Everything was always so rushed. Sometimes things would be late - I remember showing up to a final critique like an hour and a half into it (and for you non-artsies, it's when you present your final project to your professor and class, you spend some time "critiquing" it... kind of a big deal). That was SO unlike me.

I remember meeting with a professor after a class, basically in tears because I just wasn't feeling inspired. I wasn't enjoying myself... I think he gave me some zen-like advice and told me to find my inner-child, the Emily that loved to draw for hours on end. Yeah... I didn't find her. Eventually I made it through, I still got into the the BFA program, still got my degree and managed to get good grades. But the whole thing took its toll.

Within 2-3 months of graduating Greg and I moved to Utah. Greg was starting up a business and I snatched up the first temp-job I could find. I started that job with the intentions of moving on to something more art-related but I got comfortable where I was. I got comfortable with the people there. I got comfortable with my routine and so I just stayed... I don't want to paint this dismal picture, I actually enjoyed working there. I made really good friends, I had good co-workers and a lot of the time, it was fun - well it was full of funny moments anyway.

Two years later I became a mom. Right up there with marrying my husband, it was (err...is) the best thing I ever did, without a doubt! But it also meant I had another excuse, if you will, for putting my former-artist life on the back burner. And since then there has been another baby, a cross-country move, law school, another cross-country move, more law school, and now another baby on the way. On top of all the other demands you have as a mom - it is easier, ( and more comfortable) to not have another thing on your to-do list.

But like I said at the beginning of this - I've had the bug to get serious about making art for a few weeks now. Several things have led up to this strong desire and a lot of the source has been through spiritual reflection. Not too long ago I was reading in the scriptures (and for the life of me, I can't find the scripture anywhere - I've just spent like 20 minutes looking for it) and I read something about not spending your time on that which is of no worth. It really struck me. I mean, how much time have I wasted on bad tv? Un-inspiring books? Blog-stalking? You-tubing? Facebooking? MANY hours that I can never ever get back. Shortly after this - I read something about (again, not finding it) not hiding/burying our talents.

Hmmm... well I definitely haven't been putting mine to good use lately. AND finally, the last shove I needed in the right direction was when I visited my dear Jones' blog (old college bestie/roomie/art-pal) and took a look at some of her goals for 2012. There were a lot of "artsy" goals for the year. How perfect was that??? Here was my old comrade-in-arts ready to dive into the world of being creative again.

A few days later I sent Jones the following message on facebook: "So Jones, I've been thinking. I desperately need to start creating again. Anything!! I have half a dozen projects in my head that need to make it past the brainstorm phase. Projects ranging from things I want to sew, walls to decorate, pictures to draw and paint... And from your last blog post it sounds like you want to do more artsy things too. What if we started a "creativity accountability" blog?? Somewhere we can post finished results of our projects? I think if I had a partner in crime and deadlines I might actually produce something. Let me know what you think!!"
This is her reply: "I'm in!!! I'm buying a computer soon to get photoshop etc. doing that with you would make me super happy!!... Bayba- scary that we are totally on exactly the same wavelength though!! I'm ready to start something."

And almost instantly Jones came up with this:



And she was the brains behind making this blog something truly awesome - so much more than what I had in mind! It is a place where we not only post our artsy projects, but things that inspire us on so many levels. We went ahead and spread the word about this blog on Facebook, Sunday night, now that we've got some posts for people to look at. I hope that if you ever visit my blog, you will jump over to visit everythingforthelove too! (And follow us, please!)
Here's to getting back to my creative roots!