TGIS

As I hinted at in my last post about all the art I saw in 2019, I wanted to also write a little bit about time spent in the studio last year.

In short, I shelved one project and began another, thanks in large part to participating in the 100 Day Project beginning in April. Here are some images from that effort (as well as a few studio scenes), collectively titled '100 Days in the Dollhouse':

You can see more images from this ongoing project here. I still, nearly one year later, consider myself to be in the collection-of-raw-materials portion of this body of work, not totally certain where it'll go (it'd be swell to have a space of some sort lined up for an installation of some kind). And, now that I'm working again, albeit part-time, I don't have a ton of time to devote to the studio. That said, inspired by this recent Life Kit podcast episode hosted by Malaka Gharib (mentioned in my last post, about the decade zine challenge), wherein she interviews art therapy researcher and professor Girija Kaimal--who talks about TGIS, or Thank God It's Saturday, her time for getting into the studio--I'm attempting to carve out a couple of hours at least one weekend afternoon for dedicated studio time, even if I'm feeling unmotivated, even if I'm not sure exactly what to work on. After some morning family time and lunch, once my kids settle down for afternoon free (okay, screen) time, I lock myself in my studio and FIGURE. IT. OUT.

So now I've shared images of art I saw and stuff I made. There's also this third category of images of things or experiences that inspired me in one way or another last year. Those images I've put into a little look book of sorts: 2019 inspiration for 2020. I can't wait to get it (should arrive early next week) and use it as a resource in my studio.

I wonder how other working parent artists find inspiration and carve out studio time, don't you? I'd really, really love to get to work on season 2 of the podcast, interviewing artists who not only juggle paid gigs with studio time, but have also decided to throw a kid or two into the mix, but I'm worried if I do so it'll be at the expense of my own creative practice and/or time needed to finish the damn screenplay already. So, as I often say, we'll see. I'm mulling it over and trying to figure out how, as always, to squeeze it all in.