“The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time. Always listen to the art.”
Junot Díaz
Ahh so true. Life begets activities begets pace and busy-ness and commitments and shoulds and oh my goodness.
I worry a lot not so much about the speed of things, but the volume of them - the filling up of time with busy-ness and things, and the multitasking that we all do in an effort to get more done in the time available; to work efficiently, and yet in the end, not.
And when I think about it - when has art ever said me to go faster, go quicker?
For me, most times, art sets its own pace and things happen in their own time. Some things take longer than you can imagine or anticipate and something take forever to emerge; at other times things flow and you produce more than you thought possible and look around going wow.
I think this notion of art is particularly true if you are working and making for yourself. It is harder if you have deadlines like commissions you have said you'll do by X; work you need to enter into a show; or an exhibition that needs to be filled with your work. At those times, you can sometimes hear the art saying, bustle along a bit would you?
But in its purest form, art reminds us to take the time it takes. Oftentimes our best work appears when it is ready, at its own pace and in its own way. Of course sometimes pressure and deadlines help you create amazing things; but I prefer to to take the slow art path when I can...
The Unbearable Whiteness - one of my slooooooooow books.
Junot Díaz
Ahh so true. Life begets activities begets pace and busy-ness and commitments and shoulds and oh my goodness.
I worry a lot not so much about the speed of things, but the volume of them - the filling up of time with busy-ness and things, and the multitasking that we all do in an effort to get more done in the time available; to work efficiently, and yet in the end, not.
And when I think about it - when has art ever said me to go faster, go quicker?
For me, most times, art sets its own pace and things happen in their own time. Some things take longer than you can imagine or anticipate and something take forever to emerge; at other times things flow and you produce more than you thought possible and look around going wow.
I think this notion of art is particularly true if you are working and making for yourself. It is harder if you have deadlines like commissions you have said you'll do by X; work you need to enter into a show; or an exhibition that needs to be filled with your work. At those times, you can sometimes hear the art saying, bustle along a bit would you?
But in its purest form, art reminds us to take the time it takes. Oftentimes our best work appears when it is ready, at its own pace and in its own way. Of course sometimes pressure and deadlines help you create amazing things; but I prefer to to take the slow art path when I can...
The Unbearable Whiteness - one of my slooooooooow books.
Hi Fiona, great topic for Thursday Thoughts, l love it when my art just evolves, and my creative juices just flow l dont always work well under pressure, l love the look of the sloooooooooow book, what style is that called , it looks very interesting ?.......cheers ,,,,kate
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate - here's a link to a blog post about it...
Deletehttp://paperponderings.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/unbearable-whiteness.html
A fascinating look back on a very intriguing project. There is so much in nature that calls us to look repeatedly and pay attention to the details ... if only we would take the time
Deletewhat a lovely thought that became a book
DeleteThanks Liz and Mo - I so really enjoyed making that book; marking days in a different way; making something beautiful out of something a bit frustrating...
DeleteI love working at my own speed, you have more time to think about what you are doing and usually end up with better results, or in my case I do. Deadlines get in the way, don't give you time to doodle, dawdle and research, they get in the way of what your mind is really telling you to do.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly Debbie - and I think I am going to avoid deadlines for a while if I can!
DeleteThe slow book is quite interesting to look at. I think it's hard to get things done on a schedule, myself, and often think they would have turned out better if I had more time.
ReplyDeleteI do love that book Sharmon - so much fun to play with! I agree that what we produce would be different (usually better) if we had the time to make it - when we don't have the time it takes; we often end up making something not quite what it could be...(but then again, sometime something great!). Go well.
DeleteIf only it was always possible!
ReplyDeleteI agree Jo - wouldn't it be grand if the world worked to our personal timetables!
DeleteYes! Well said about time. I once heard this: "it's a good thing to live at the pace of guidance." That would probably be the pace of art, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteOooh I like that! The pace of guidance - it automatically slows you down,taking time to listen and respond - very nice indeed. Thanks so much, go well.
Delete