I hope this finds you well. It’s been a rough month for most of us. It’s surreal to think about how life has changed. I’ve been busy doing many things, but my motivation for sewing is lacking. I have reason to be making new art; I’m scheduled to participate in an art exhibit in June 2021. I’m doing a lot of things toward supporting my business but I’m just not creating textile pieces right now. Should I be worried that it feels like I’m procrastinating?

I’m keeping busy working on things. Catching up on computer work, spent a few days making face masks, and working on a few other ideas. But every time, I think about making art my brain seems to say…”nope!…not yet.” Maybe you’re feeling the same way too. One thing that’s helping is that I’m drawing. I set aside time almost every day to sketch. I don’t spend tons of time on this…at the very most an hour. When I sit down to draw, my intent is to sketch things that I’d like to incorporate into my art. Sometimes I work on refining my skills, like trying to draw birds. Other times, I’m trying to sketch an idea that I have that might turn into an art quilt. While sketching, I’m working out new ideas and that’s important.

Most of the time when I create, I have some vision of what I want to make. I sketch it out and then work through the process with fabric. This past month I’ve learned its ok to sketch out multiple ideas and then re-draw and refine them over several sessions. It’s preparation for when I get started stitching. Right now, my ideas (vision) is not clear in my head yet, so I’m “procrastinating” about starting to work with fabric. But then again, I’m not sitting idly by waiting for inspiration. So am I really procrastinating? Sketches are an important part of my process, and I’m seeing this practice as a very helpful.

I often come up with ideas that I’d like to pursue…and then forget about them. In the past, I would jot down the ideas in a list form, but having a visual sketch makes it more realistic. Months from now when I flip through my sketch book, I’ll SEE where I was planning to go with an idea. So, if you’re feeling unmotivated pull out a sketch book and start scribbling. It doesn’t have to be a good drawing or idea…just something you’ve been thinking about. As you work with your new sketch practice, your brain will start processing what you’ve drawn and come up with new ways to approach and idea. The next time you sit to sketch you’ll have a stronger visions to put on paper. So put it on paper, let it age a little and work on the idea some more. Keep at it! I have confidence we’ll both create some amazing art.