Achillea, real and sketched
So. 2010 is coming to a close. And what a year it has been. So much has happened yet it seems to have passed in the blink of an eye. For me, the year has been one of a lot of personal and professional growth. Not as much as I would have liked (on both fronts) but growth all the same.
I've spent this last week doing a lot of reflecting whilst on holidays. And I think my thoughts on the year can be grouped under two themes:
Anxiety & Acceptance
Like most people, I have lots of different anxieties, that affect me to varying degrees both socially and in the workplace. 2010 has been a year of recogising these and learning ways to manage them - definitely still a work in progress! An important part of that is acceptance. Both accepting myself for who I am, but also surrounding myself with lovely people who accept me & my quirks and don't push and pull me to be something else. And of course, doing the same for them in return :)
Inspiration & Intimidation
The hardest thing about 2010 for me has been the lack of creative inspiration. Running Ink & Spindle so often feels like a machine that constantly needs feeding. Opportunities for creativity have been centrered around working with our existing designs (new products etc) rather than developing new ones.
I want to be inspired again but also inspire others again. I look back at my work from a few years ago and miss all of that random creative expression that wasn't related to my work. And I miss how that made others respond and connect with me and my blog. I also see all of the amazing creative development going on around me (eg our friends at Harvest) and feel so intimidated by it all. I know that might sound crazy given what we have achieved so far but moving forward is still really important - both commercially and personally.
Anyway, I really want to bring inspiration and creative expression back into my life, and I'm really hoping our 2 week break away from the studio (and some time out of Melbourne!) will faciltate that.
Anyway enough rambling, here's some sketches from the last few days :)
Top - I've been toying with the idea of getting into ceramics again, hmmmm
Bottom - flowering eucalypts...
Birds!
Lastly, I just want to say a huge thank you to anyone out there reading this blog and commenting. It really does mean a lot to me. I hope next year I'll have more interesting and exciting things to share :)
xx
Lara.
27 comments:
Best wishes for wonderful and creative 2011, Lara - if you want it, it will be. Nic
I enjoy following along and love your talent Lara! Thanks for a great year, best wishes for 2011. Come down for a visit for a bit of fresh air whenever you like. I'll pop the kettle on.
xo MODELmumma
wow....that is very honest of you and so generous to share how you feel. I have also had similar thoughts in the last few months. It is reading blog posts like these that makes me truly grateful for the internet and blogs. We all have much more in common than we realize. Wishing you a new year filled with much inspiration and creativity. I (along with many others im sure) look forward to reading all about it here. thanks claudia
Lara, your blog is a reflection of whats happening for you, so you never have to worry about needing it to be more.
I so understand how intimidating 'other peoples' creativity is...and yet so many of us find what you do completely intimidating too...cause your pretty friggin amazing you know.....
Love, love, love the birds. I am so impressed with how you girls are going with Ink & Spindle, but I would also dearly love to see some new designs...I am missing them too (without trying to create any pressure!!!) But I think the birds have potential. All the best for 2011. You are amazing!
unfortunately, i know exactly what you mean. it has led me, along with fears etc, to leave behind something i love which is drawing for drawings sake, not as a study for a new logo or a new table or whatnot. i miss that, the freedom of expression you lose when you start thinking of the consequences of that simple action of putting pen to paper. of being creative without worrying about clients and results and costs. thats the thing they dont tell you about being a professional designer, that having to be creative all the time is really exhausting. best wishes for the new year and hope you can overcome some if not all of that.
Lara, those birdies are great. It's amazing that despite feeling uninspired you've just turned that out! Enjoy your hol!
i'm off-track on my creative goals and frustrated too. but 2011 is a new year - with new focus - and you are so talented, lady. i can't wait to see what you come up with!
Happy New Year!! Here's to an inspired 2011. Oh, I love the birds.
Great drawings. Here's to another year's worth of growth!
It can be so hard to know when the processes of life are part of a natural rhythm and when they need a kick up to move to the next stage. Your year of consolidation may feel frustrating at times, but getting the foundations of your business and self in solid shape is ultimately what will allow you to create and be more freely. I wish you all the luck in the world to get the best possible balance in 2011, and to not worry so much. You are already way up there.
Having said all that, some new designs would be very exciting from where I sit! :-)
I don't often comment, but I do read your blog, and I always enjoy when I see a new post from you! I really love the sketches you posted, and I'm just wild about that first photo of the yellow flowers against the purple background--so pretty!
I know how hard it can be to carve out your own creative time, especially when you work in the creative field--something I'm still working on to find the balance. Best of luck to you with all your creative endeavors in the new year!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us - I hope that 2011 is a fantastic creative year for you, I look forward to seeing what becomes of the little birdies!
Wishing you a wonderful inspiring and creative 2011! xx
Happy New Year to you, too. I've found you and your blog to be very inspiring. :)
I read your blog all the time (for years) and love what you do. Here's to a fantastically creative 2011 - the ceramic idea could be a great one I reckon :)
Love the sketch of the leaves
A great post Lara and I do love those birds a lot! Thanks so much for the canvas cloth - I am going to send you some pics when I'm done with it! xx
What a lovely honest post, its funny how we all think the other person has it all worked out but we all have our own anxieties :-)
I am intrigued by ceramics just at the moment too so I hope you do some of that! It might inspire me to try myself.
I think we all deal with anxieties and intimidation at different points in our creative paths. It takes courage to air them on the blog, but it's great to see this honest post!
Been missing your creative posts too. Love the sketches. Here's to a creative 2011!
x
Well, I look forward to this year's posts... but I *really* enjoyed last year's posts. I know that that necessary repetition that is sometimes brought on by work can make us feel like we're not being very interesting or creative, but I thought your last 12 months of posts were lovely and inspiring and kind of, well gentle and soothing. That said, I hope you do manage to carve out some more of that elusive dreaming and making time for your own projects this year. Because I love 'em! To wit: thanks to you I have cushions with a perfectly invisible seam on my couches! (Ok , I know that was the year before last but you get the drift...)
Your words and reflections really resonated with how I have been feeling lately, thank you for sharing and Happy New Year!
Lara, a lovely heartfelt and honest post which clearly many people could relate to, including me. It is also intimidating being a newcomer, up against such established, accomplished and talented creatives such as yourself and all the other fab designers/makers out there. I hope 2011 brings you all the creative space you need with the results you desire and deserve.
Lara, all the best for 2011. I admire your honesty - I have felt all the same insecurities but unlike you am not brave enough to admit it.
Wishing you lots of wonderful creativeness for 2011.
I hear you on the trying to keep things going (business + life + relationships), while trying to keep being creative. It's a constant challenge to do it all.
I am always inspired, amazed and excited by what you (+ Teegs) are doing professionally {and I know lots and lots of other people are, too}. And, personally, I've noticed your changes and growth and felt for you and enjoyed your breakthroughs.
Keep being you. Surrounding yourself with people who like and appreciate you, really does help and make a difference doesn't it.
Take care. Enjoy. Smile.
It seems 2010 was a year where many of us felt similar to how you have felt. 2011 is the year for doing what needs to be done but also for making time for ourselves, to create for the pleasure of creating, for enjoying for the sake of enjoying and having fun doing it all.
I hope we get to spend more time hanging out with each other this year too.
xxx
I feel you lady! having zoe has taken away alot of what I used to be and I find myself now with the urge to create but don't know where to start. do you dabble in something completely new? or do you jump back into the saddle of what you already know? we should collaborate again sometime. xoxox
Post a Comment