Today I came home from the studio to find the butter melted on a dish on the counter like Frosty on a sunny day. It was one of those hot Sacramento Summer days. A day that strikes conversation about the heat, and somehow surprises Sacramentans every year when it inevitably happens yet again. Seeing that pile of melted buerre got me thinking about Summer. Summer got me thinking about the times, the seasons, when my creativity flows the most.
Summer is a very creative time for me. Summer teaching kicks into gear, and paintings begin to finish up in the studio. The sun brings inspiration, concepts, goals, positivity, excitement, and a flow of creative ideas.
Mornings are always a creative time, the coolness of the air before the sun has a chance to seep warmth into everything, along with the thrill of the knowledge the sun is coming up fast, brings motivation. There is an enjoyable residue of plant smells baked into the morning air, a reminder of the heat from the day before. An atmosphere which always encourages creative flow.
Work in the afternoons and evenings is frequent, but often a push through malaise, sleepiness, and a struggle to stay focused.
Fall, Winter, and Spring, all of the seasons, bring different types of creative flow.
Fall is also an extremely creative season for me. Creativity as fertile as the inspiration of Summer. Autumnal colors, smells, and vibes of change add to creative yumminess of my studio time. Plus, pumpkins are a favorite subject of mine to sketch and paint, so there you go.
Winter brings new paintings, but also rest, a regathering of energy, thoughtfulness, and reflection.
Spring really does bring cleaning, pairing down, organizing, mainstreaming, and deciding what next to paint.
These discoveries are based on years of painting through the seasons. The creative life cycle.
Pay attention to when you feel most creative, seasons, times of day. Honor those times, even if it’s to take notes about future project ideas. Let yourself have those restorative, down times, guilt free. Understand the rest periods are as important as when creativity flows.
Happy Painting!
Thank you for reading,
Michelle