I think there are a lot of stereotypes about artists. One of them is that we tend to be a bit particular about our workspace. If someone tries to "clean" it for us (or sometimes even if WE clean it) we'll end up frantic because we can't find anything any more. Or if your one of the one's who has to have everything in a particular place, if someone moves one of your tools your going to be very frustrated.
Granted, those are stereotypes, not all artists are like that, at least I assume so.
I fall into the category of the messy artist. For me it's a combination of factors. For one, I like to have my things around me in easy reach. So if I know I'm going to use something again soon I tend not to put it away. I also tend to be easily distracted. I might have the best intentions to clean something up - but then I get an idea, or an e-mail, or my hubby comes home, or I realize I'm hungry, or any number of things and what I had planned gets forgotten.
Knowing this about myself I try to make myself put away the remnants of one project before I start another, but I'm not always successful. And, honestly, I'm the most comfortable when theirs a bit of controlled chaos around me.
Unfortunately lately things have gotten to the point where they are definitely UNcontrolled chaos, and it's driving me nuts. There have been a lot of factors, depression, migraines, and not being home because my best friend was in town. Never the less, it needs to be clean! I can't get anything done any more. So that's my major crafty goal right now - to bring my crafty space back to a place where I can craft again. I'll let you know how it goes :) I have yet another migraine today, but I'm managing to work on things (like this blog post) in short bursts.
19 comments:
My beads and supplies are organized in a controlled chaos but my workspace is relatively clean. I only have out what I need to finish the project I'm working on and I promptly put it back if I don't use it. Nothing is left unfinished either or else I can't stop thinking about it. Could be because I have cats but most likely it's because I'm an anal-retentive accountant!
Hope you get your chaos back under control soon!
good luck cleaning up. I hate to clean up a mess, so I try to be organized as I go along... Beads back in their correct containers... now papers and tools in the right drawer. I don't have a large space to create, so my table NEEDS to be neat! {:-D
that's my plan for the rest of the day, today- too! it's getting so i can not stand i!---(usually instead of cleaning, i sit down in the middle of it to create! ack)
marilyn g
I started out with controlled chaos but lately it is all out mind-bending chaos...where I see something in one place and 30 minutes later need that something and can't remember where I saw it! The combo of messy work area and stressed out memory issues is causing me to think about an overhaul after my next show!
And Heaven help my husband if he attempts to "tidy" it while I'm gone! :)
My beads are organized UNTIL I take them out to work with them. And then they grow and grow and grow and it's chaos.
Huge controlled chaos. I have everything I need right at hand and NO ONE better touch my things for any reason what so ever. There is only Mike here and he knows better. When I am completely done I do put things away just to clutter the space again with the next project.
Nicole/Beadwright
I am a middle of the road kind of person! I have trays organized with my currently working on projects placed around the back edge of my work table. Everything else is very organized, labeled, and put away. When I want to work on a particular project, I slide that tray close to me and go to work. I typically am working on 5 or 6 projects at a time. That way when I get stuck, I work on something else, giving my right brain side a chance to problem solve!
Well, I live on a sail boat so it is very difficult to leave things out. When I am working on a project I have out only the items I need to complete it and because I don't like to leave them out (takes up too much space) I generally like to complete the project. This is easy enough to do since I am retired and have all day to work on something until it is time to make dinner for my hubby.
The only thing that keeps my work space from completely devolving into chaos is that we travel a fair bit, and I like to take stuff with me to work on. At the very least, I take one or two in-progress pieces, but if it's going to be a week or more, I have to take extra supplies in case I finish whatever is in progress! So that organizes my space from time to time. :)
What a timely post. I am trying to tidy my uncontrolled beading chaos at present - but this also seems to be a constant refrain in my life so I might need to admit that when it comes to beading, tidy is not just me. Mind you my bead stash itself is very tidy and organised - it's really the creative process of making that seems to produce the chaos.
My room is definitely a little chaotic! I try to clean after each set of projects...but it doesn't always happen that way...LOL :)
I definitely have UN-controlled chaos. I usually have several projects in different craft mediums going at once. I have beads, threads, fabric, ribbon, etc on my worktable at the same time. And my family has been trained not to touch it.
I'm definitely in the same boat. When I'm creating something entirely new, beads and supplies get pulled out everywhere. Right now I have multiple projects started, plus recouping from a class, so I can't even see my work bench. It's when it gets this bad, I have to stop and clean regardless of deadlines.
I'm like you Ruthie, have to have stuff out to make thing! I do neaten everything from time to time, but I uaually have several projects in various states on my bench.
I posted a comment on Saturday's Art Bead Scene about this very subject. I live in chaos (Flylady calls it Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). I have chaos in several rooms and I find it very difficult to clean/tidy. I too suffer from depression and I used to have migraines too (so sorry you are experiencing them now). I have a spot where my bead tray goes and it is overflowing with the ends of projects and new supplies that haven't been stored. Perhaps I should do something about that today -- -- -- nah!
Emanda
I too have several things going on at once, so my work table is waay out of control! Once in a great while I try to get things under some sort of control. I go over the floor on my hands and knees to pick up as many beads as I can find before I vacuum (I have been known to sift through the stuff the vacuum picks up to get more beads out and wash them. I fill a small container with various leftovers I find here and there, and once full I sort them and put then where they belong. No one else is to touch a thing on threat of bodily harm.
My optimal working condition is harmonic chaos. I don't mind neatness, it reminds me of a new canvas or blank piece of paper, but I'm not in need of that kind of environment. I like a little chaos to give a chance to serendipitous inspiration. On the other hand, chaos that becomes overwhelming and time consuming is definitely a bad thing.
Patricia C Vener
http://vener-art.com/beadblog/
I find it difficult to create in a totally messy environment, so I have a wonderful system of storage with drawers and boxes that keeps everything in its place... where I quickly forget that I have it. So I have to drag large chunks of it out and make a huge mess of things... and then I can't focus because it'e too messy again. So, in it goes back into its proper place, where I promptly forget that I have it again. It's a wonder I ever manage to create anything.
I'm a bit like Pretty Things. However my tie dye equipment and supplies are basically organized and stay that way. Bead and paper supplies, not so much. They have places where they live, but they tend to wander out, and stay there till the need to clean them up and put them away takes over.
It was totally fun to read all the responses!
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