[3] Your Creative Environment. SPACE: Grace, Silence, Geography.
Did you read the previous posts about organizing your creative environment? Here is the one about Time and the other one, about the Mind.
This one talks about
- The Physical SPACE.
- Space in your mind.
- Your Geography.
1. Physical Space
You could be fine in the middle of a beehive. But for most creatives it is essential to be undisturbed. Alone. In their own atelier, garage, workshop. Or at a kitchen table, on a stolen time. At night.
Genius needs solitude.
It’s not a question whether you are a genius or not at this time. The potential is there: You had your brilliant moments. There were not an accident. Be alone long enough and they will come again.
The Law of Grace operates when…
Being alone allows you to forget about yourself.
That’s an important key.
Every creative will tell us: the idea came from somewhere else, as if it was downloaded. They were just a channel for it. This is the sign they were lost in the process, the ego was removed, not interfering. Once we are with others, competing, or comparing, ego is in a way of good work. Yet you can be with others and still create a solitary environment in your mind.
My poems are not mine… they were carried by wind.
Moje wiersze nie sa moje… lecialy w powietrzu. – Eva Rubinstein
Forget about yourself and the best work will come forward.
“In a state of surrender, ‘egolessness’, the law of grace starts functioning. The law of grace uplifts. You feel weightless.” – Osho writes. Ego always wants to be perfect, yet when you remove yourself and your ego from your work, the work is perfect.
Diversity
Some artists have such a bad case of creative anxiety, that the familiarity of their daily workstation can’t handle it. They look for diversity and fresh experiences, often changing the space they work in.
2. Mind
Now lets look at the space in your mind.
It is relatively empty? Is there room for new things? Or are there any intruders and saboteurs? People that demand you talk to them, entertain them, respond to them, solve their life’s problems. Is that messy closet calling you to organize it before you start writing? Or the dirty shelves in the garage demanding your attention before you paint?
That all must go.
You cannot expect that you will be doing good artistic work on a regular basis, if you have to worry about the dirty floor (unless it is a break to clear your mind), conversations, or figuring out someone else’s life. They require creativity that could be otherwise used for your art. These are the little thieves of your time and energy. That may sound harsh, but really, you can be everything, to everyone, all the time only in the fantasy land.
Create periods of deliberate silence.
If you are not doing it already – you need to create and protect the boundaries around your physical space and space in your mind.
It may not be enough to decide it for yourself. You may need to announce it to your family so they respect it. You may need different strategies to eliminate people from your creative environment. Shortly after I decide not to talk to anyone, I feel things, ideas, images, coming together in my mind.
You decide what belongs in the space.
3. Geographical space.
Are you in a wrong place altogether?
Every city, landscape, weather, country will inspire you differently. Some may seem to lack any charm at all. But the artists can see beauty where others can’t.
So listen – what don’t you see, that could nourish your spirit?
Look – what story is this landscape asking you to tell?
Sense – the inspiration doesn’t need to be visual.
If you are in an extremely ugly space – get out. Did you know? You can die from being exposed to ugliness.
If such danger is not present, consider changing your medium.
When painting with oil in Europe may be the right choice, Africa may “ask” for 3 dimensional medium, Japan for ink, and South America for watercolors.
These details are for you to figure them out.
What is your space? What works for you? Do you have any advice for other artists?
Other related posts about creativity: