Look at life as art. Make it beautiful.

Well, it’s been a month since I wrote here at least.

The main way that I can say I’ve been making my life artful is through food, still. I am really enjoying cooking for myself and for others and this is a huge step because I used to only cook very lame, not-so-nutritious food when it was just for me… now I seem to care more for myself and thus make all meals great!

I’ve made time & space for my art so the next thing I really need to do is get disciplined… and it’s totally not the best time of year for that! I have been incorporating a few new things into my life lately, like walks & self care routines so I need to semi construct a schedule for things.

I got an idea for my creative space last night, which is to stick up some kind of covering over the wall (I cannot really put pins in these walls) and tape things to it. So I need to get this done ;)

I’ve been having fun in my garden :)

I feel like I am still refining, refining, refining.

I’ve kind of put off some things till my holiday/January until the xmas mayhem is over and to give myself a month to slow down, take stock and reset the focus on a lot of things :)

Life does feel rather beautiful most of the time.

I finally have it- the sanctuary I’ve wanted. An inspiring view from a window near my workspace; plenty of room for messy creative projects; simple, non-distracting decor; huge dry-erase posters to scrawl inspirational/motivational things to keep me going; a serene place to drink tea and ponder; a wonderful kitchen countertop to bring my laptop to; lots of supplies; and a small but effectively-placed “Rosie the Riveter” photo. It’s mine, all mine!
Now, only to dream up what will come out of this creative “kitchen” and get to work :-)

1. I’m planning to see more live shows, live music is amazing.
2. I want to start documenting my life more, at least a photo a day. Capture one moment of beauty per day at least!
3. Take myself out on Artist Dates again, see more art in the flesh.
4. Get a decent art workspace sorted. I have the desk, it’s just covered in clutter at present.

This is all for now. I could conjure more but I do not want to overwhelm myself. This is the beginning.

Never in my life have I really known what I want to do career wise except that being self employed has always appealed.

& the thing that I enjoy the most & that makes me happy is anything art. So what I’ve decided to do is to work part time in a job that will pay me well enough to support my spending the rest of my time pursuing an artistic career.

I want my life, my job, it all, to be art. This is my new pathway :D

Tonight while out getting coffee with R. we decided to randomly create a new card game which was a lot of fun.

It doesn’t totally make sense but it was the process, not the result, including my losing, that mattered.

We should break out brains out of habit like this more often. It’s great!

Mmm, cooking is an enjoyable experience & I’m trying to consciously make new things & make eating an exciting thing despite not having much spare cash right now.

I like being creative with food & combining things in interesting ways. When I think about all the food in my cupboard just waiting to be turned into things I get quite excited!

And I am very grateful to be in this position.

Well, I’ve been consciously doing more drawing & getting other people excited about having art days & YAY.

But also, I volunteer in a charity shop that raises money for animal-related causes and is trying to create an animal sanctuary. My friend Kylie and I do shifts together and we play and dress up & we always plan to take photos but there is ALWAYS a problem with her camera on the day hahah (probably a good thing as some of the things we’ve made each other wear are hideous!)

It’s making the work something beautiful. We <3 IT~~!

Maybe this sounds cornball, and I think I’ve already said this before… but I’ve really been trying to look at life as a big batch of Play-Do: It really is malleable, you can give it shape and form, and you can make just about anything you want to with it really. This is helpful to remember when I get stuck in routines, which has been a big source of ennui. Maybe there are limitations in life, but it is not as unyielding as I’ve made myself believe. I’ve only believed that because it seems safe to have rules and regimen. But it’s not safe to be rigid…. it’s far safer to imagine and explore the possibilities.

I sat on the floor of my apartment this morning, taking a look around at the arrangement of furniture, post-it notes on the walls, scribbled-on papers and images cut out from magazines. It was a weird out-of-body experience in which I wondered “Who does this all belong to? Who in this world finds this stuff important, and why?”

And it was profound to realize that I’d created it all… all that mundaneness made up something. Without knowing what I was doing, purely through instinct, I’d created that environment, and it had meaning.

It was good to step out of all my obsessions and weird interests for a beat and really think about what kind of person/artist I am, what my motivations are. It was like getting to know a character in my fiction.

I admit for the last couple of months I’ve lost track of where I’m going, even lost touch with who I am, and this was like waking up and finding a trail back.

listening to: “Great Waves” by Dirty Three

Life as art. Have I been doing this lately?
I’m on a tightrope with a certain amount of job uncertainty.
But I’m balancing.
I’ve been treating myself to a few small things that make life beautiful.
I see this goal as a conscious effort to live life artfully.
I’ve been learning Spanish. It is beautiful & fun.
Next week I am going to a play!
I’ve sat in a room lit with scented candles, wine & good music.
I feel grateful reading what I’m writing.
Perhaps I’m more successful than I thought?