The challenge: make apiece of altered book art for the show theme, “Below the Surface.”
- Found a book called “White Shark.” (Let your imagination run wild on that!)
- Got inspired for what to do with the book.
- Found great reference photos and created a shark out of book paper.
- Need to chop up the book so the shark can come out of it.
I’m now at a very distinct step of the creative process.
I have blogged at least twice before about stages of art, mainly the ADOLESCENT STAGE, where everything seems to be a mess.
I’m at a different stage with this shark book—the shitorgetoffthepot phase. (SOGOTP)
To this point, everything with the shark book has been either reversible or fix-able. This next step is do or die. I am about to cut into the main book, and if I get this wrong, the book will be ruined. With one week to go where will I find another thrift store book about sharks? The stakes feel just a little bit high.
Therefore, I’m actively procrastinating.
Does this sound familiar to you? Art imitates life, and creating art imitates creating life. Nearly everything we do– in work, in life– is a creative process. And there are many times that we come to a tipping point. Either commit and move forward or it ends right there.
The only way past this is to summon up your courage, lean in and just go.
Go with confidence and the assurance that erring on the side of COmmission is better than erring on the side of Omission. Better to have tried and failed than to have never tried (and be left with a half-finished project taking up space on the dining room table!)
What are you grappling with right now? What are you procrastinating on? How will you get the courage to lean in and just do it?
