Hello November and a little delayed recap of October
About being present…
I know, I know…This old train. But I wanted to share my thoughts on this and write it all out.
Today I noticed that for the past few weeks my social media work has quietly slipped into the background. But life happened and that is good. Our little one turned one, a big deal for me as you can imagine, and life and work deadlines simply took most of my attention. It was one of those months where time just seemed to fly by and I do not know how it went so fast. October feels like it has been devoured by a hungry time monster. Rawr.
Being present…
So what does that really mean for me? Stating the obvious: And as for most of you I am sure, it is a phrase associated with being off screen. It is being a mum with my full heart and attention. Spending time with family and friends. Being present in the now and noticing the small things, something I do and always have done without thinking about it. The colour shift in the leaves, the raindrops rolling down the window, the everyday moments that make one slow down and be aware. Noticing our little one grow and change every day. It is about choosing where my energy goes and sometimes that simply means stepping back from social media in all its shapes and forms for a bit. How great is that! But being present, the full picture, can be applied to each area of life of course. So how about work?
Being present … in the studio:
Here I focus on my own illustration and client projects. So of course, normally that also involves Instagram, creating posts and sharing my work, being visible online. It is another form of presence, one that sometimes feels a bit overwhelming as well as fun. Which brings me back to what started this whole thought process: In the last few weeks I have been pretty invisible online. Life happens as we all know. But since I started writing this I have been thinking more about what online presence means for me not just being present as a person. Being visible, or rather, making my art visible, is part of it and of course I want my work to be seen and enjoy sharing it. But online presence is a whole beast of its own. Another layer of marketing yourself and your work. One that I feel everyone expects you to just easily do on the side, with a smile on your face, post constantly and… be present. But when time is limited and creativity can’t just be turned on and off like a tap, it can be a challenge and take the backseat in life and work.
Like so many artists I feel it can feel overwhelming to be everything at once: content creator, maker, marketer. Cutting reels, planning ahead, setting up your phone to film yourself painting, it all adds another layer to the job. With limited time in the studio, the projects on my table always take priority and I dive right into it.
And if its not a deadline, being a (day-) dreamer I get lost in my sketchbook, not Instagram first.
But being present online requires attention. And I am very aware of this and how time changes things. Oh this makes me sounds so old and I am only in my early 30’s! So without making it all negative : I do love when I get the ball rolling and share my passion with you all regulary. I guess this is why I need to remind myself sometimes that posting is work too not just the fun part of it. It is part of the creative process now and easily overlooked. I mean most of the work happens behind the screens in the studio. There is so much that does not get captured in posts and reels and it takes a surprising amount of energy do make them. Well, for me at least.
Moving on - Being present in the studio as another side of the coin for me: While this is mental space for work, it also means something else to me. This little room is my “me space”, my picture book and other art book collections, family photographs and keepsakes, little bits and pieces that make me smile. As well as illustrating (often while I am working) this is where I carve out a bit of breathing room to be myself, especially at the end of a busy day as a mum. Being present… for myself.
On Instagram I like to show up when I can. My work continues whether I post or not. This is where I am present, even if posting slips through my mind occasionally. And I try my best to keep it regular. This Blog I one fun reason. A monthly reflection for myself and whoever wants to read it. I know I won’t surprise you with mind-blowing new theories but if you like it, let me know as I have ideas and am excited if I can push this further at some time in the future. But for that… I need to be present, Ha!
I genuinely enjoy connecting with you all on instagram and here, sharing my work and discovering yours. Having that small nudge to keep creating.
Phew, and that is it…
Thanks for sticking with me and reading through my back-and-forth thoughts. My mind is, as always, everywhere at once. If you know me, I find it hard to focus on just one thing and always have a million ideas and project at once. I mean, this little quick hello post ended up turning into a new blog post too. Hey ho, Happy November xx