Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Letting Go...

Let go.

That was a really hard sentence to write. I think I'll write it again for good measure!

Let go.

I've decided that there is an area in my artistic life that I need to let go. And let go with intention. Sometimes things happen and things are pulled from you. That is not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about purposefully walking away from things that no longer feed you. For me, that is portrait work.

I can't tell you how many gummy smiles I've drawn of adorable, chubby babies. Or touching portraits drawn to commemorate a life cut too short. Or sweet, furry portraits of the family pooch. I'll miss the stories. I'll also miss watching my wildly supportive hubby hawking my wares in stores in lovably weird Austin and LA.

So why am I letting portrait work go? Well, empathetic reader, I'm just no longer in that head space. It is such a gear shift to draw again that it takes from me instead of giving. I'm letting go. For the record, I am thrilled that my last portraits are for sweet friends and their equally sweet babies...what a way to go!



















So here are my "Kick-to-the-Curb" boots! Every artista should have a fab pair of boots. :-) (Flowy skirt, favorite jeans--you name it--they make everything look "cha-ching"!) I think I'm going to don these boots every time I need to purposefully walk away from something. So how about you? What areas in your artistic life maybe need a trim? All I can say is that when you make up your mind, you will be walking on dangerous yet lovely ground.

Let go.

10 comments:

Susan Thompson said...

I enjoyed reading your article on letting go of portraits. I also am an artist and don't you find that it all goes in cycles? ... going from one interest to another, only to find that you end up where you left off...! I haven't known an artist yet, myself included, that doesn't suffer from ADD! I have a funny feeling that you will do just wonderfully as your attention focuses on a new art realm!

Copper Leaf Studios said...

What a great post! For everything you purposefully let go, you make space for something new and wonderful and fulfilling. Can't wait to hear what enters your new found space : )

WRISTIELOVE said...

awesome post autumn. let me think about this one for a while...its hard to let go...i have a medium in mind but i'm not at that stage where i can say it just yet but you will be the first to know when i get there. :)

thanks for this post. :)

Michelle Eaton said...

Loved reading this post. You always know just what to say. I wish you all the best with your creative change.

Love the boots!;)

Micki Wilde said...

Great post!! I know just how you feel, I did a big 'let go' a while ago and it now feels great!

Micki x

ohvotrecoeur said...

This was so refreshing to read. Congrats on new directions!

Regina Moore said...

Enjoyed reading this post and I can imagine it was a very difficult decision. I am going through something similar and I am finding it hard to make a final decision. Best of luck!

Poetic Dreams said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Poetic Dreams said...

I applaude ya strength to listen to ya inner artist and move ahead. Ya've chosen to walk a new path and grow. Sometimes too many artists stay in work that they've lost the heart for. When they do they become blocked and can't figure out why. When we listen to our inner voice,we learn to continue to grow. I'm happy for ya! I can't wait to see where ya art is headed. Excited to be on this journey with ya. Love ya boots! Wishing ya a wonderful day. Hugs~Poe

Autumn said...

Hello, Stephanie! Of course I remember you, and I hope that you are doing wonderfully! Thank you for looking me up and for your interest in my art! I have one original in my Etsy shop right now. I'm swamped with some custom paintings at the moment, but I hope to add an original "Alice" painting to the lineup in my shop soon. Please check back in my shop--I'd love to see you there! :-)

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