week 2 of march updates
This has been a week of intense art experiments. Mixed media, markers, pencil sketches, comics. I've enjoyed playing around with what I have and finding out what I could do with it. I still have a ton of ideas and excitement but it's tipped over into overload. So many things to do with Lynda Barry's book. So many things to do with tarot storytelling. So many supplies to still try (or try again, or practice more). Spring has me fired up, but it's too much in one go, need to slow down, get back to the present, and just Do The Next Thing.
Because of the above, “the next thing” has mostly been cleaning up, putting stuff away. Clearing the desk to make it open and inviting. Changing the couch covers for something lighter, giving the room more air, more space. I like a surface that's ready to use, something I enjoy about hotels. They're just empty and functional. Not for storing a ton of stuff, not for just “spending” time in. For using for your needs. My only problem with how things get cleared away in my current set up is they need to go in boxes under my desk. Still close at hand and yet a bit too difficult to immediately access. I'm thinking about this sort of wheeled caddie thing? Still not sure where it would go to actually be at hand. Just thinking.
There have been two personal purchases – a set of water soluble wax crayons (great for the mixed media work I've been doing – textured and chaotic. Not yet sure how I'd use them in a more controlled/deliberate way) and the Lynda Barry book. Treating both of them as “art supplies”, or generally things that push me more towards art – the thing I most enjoy doing recently. All's fine on the spending side. Although I am again confronted with the fact that many people, even affluent people, don't shop recreationally. They save that $60 art book purchase for Christmas. Makes me think about patience and delayed gratification, or where they find the strength to do that, or where else they find satisfaction. I'm still in the silent tantrum stage of not-getting-a-treat every month. And training to accept things as they are.
Oh crap, I forgot – I did buy the itch.io game bundle for Ukraine. I don't regret the money at all, but I am a bit disheartened at the distraction it provided. Even just browsing through the 34 pages of items has been such a time drain (I'm not finished yet). Need to think how I'm going to engage with all that stuff. I could have not looked at it at all, I suppose. Now I've downloaded everything that looked interesting to me so I guess it's just going to sit on my computer? Unless I use it as creative inspo.
All this busy art-ing had me completely halt the tarot study. I've been posting a backlog of readings I did in one or two sittings, I haven't engaged with my books or journals. Only played around with the storytelling. Which while still tarot, doesn't exactly dig deep. Oh well. Can't go deep with all the things simultaneously, I'm already doing a huge internal overhaul, so I'm not too torn up about it.
I have been very successful at not checking/scrolling through tumblr. Less successful at staying off the laptop. There was a lot of organizing to do this past week, required mailing and quick message exchanges. And then with all the overwhelm I did treat youtube as a bit of a retreat. Though I did mostly watch art things, so quite a good result overall.
No special new plan of action – just staying open and curious about each next thing, and finding peace, acceptance and joy in what is.