Roadside Views of Yucca Blooming

Montana life means

 time spent on the road.  

Road trips mean fast stops for photography!  I spend my time in the passenger seat with a camera in my lap.  While we travel down the road, I watch for interesting details along the way.  Recently we drove to Bozeman to see some of my family.  A few hours and Famous Dave's BBQ made a great Father's Day!  We didn't have much time to spend together but we made the most of it!  We spent the evening with them and then drove back home late that night.

While we made our way to Bozeman that day, I gazed out the window at the landscape.  A beautiful day was framed in with bright blue skies above and these lovely yucca blooming on the hillside.  We pulled off at the next exit, giving me opportunity to hop out of the car.  A quick 3 minutes with my camera resulted in a few great reference photos.  The blossoms are bundled in clusters on the stalk.  The shades of color vary with outer petals having more of a rusty pink tinge.  The wind was blowing (of course it was...this IS Montana)  so the petals are more open in some areas.  The roadside views of yucca blooming made for such a nice surprise that day!

Okay, so on to the progress in my studio!  

Um, my creative life is not going like I'd imagined at all.  

There is a daily struggle to find the balance between art and life.

I'm struggling to be active in my art room.  It's difficult to manage more than an hour there.  I really need to be able to detach more during the day.  There's more activity in the house with it being summer; it's tough concentrating on my own tasks.   

I'll explain to help you understand the situation better.  My art room is attached to the kitchen.  It really needs a door...on so many days, I just want to be able to tune out other activity going on at home.  Anybody else with me here?  Can you relate?  Please tell me you can relate.  It would be so nice to hear that someone feels the same struggle.  

A door is on my wish list.  

My art room is also the back entrance to our house.  This art creating space gets some major traffic every day.  Last week, I decided the art room needed another cleaning and that took much of the entire day.  Within two days, the room became a convenient drop-off for more clutter.  

I've been wanting to begin the cherry blossoms in watercolors.  I feel the space, time, and my head are so cluttered!  It would be a dream to block off a few hours to create.  I'd like to have the time available without multiple interruptions.  Who am I kidding?  I could be waiting a long, long time for that to happen!  I guess I'm just frustrated with my expectations not being met...it feels like I'm failing.  I'd like to be more optimistic and hopeful.  I'm a problem solver and there's got to be solutions to make this work!  I don't mind trimming down my hours but it feels like the hours are trimmed down to nothing now.

Our family schedule and my own responsibilities are keeping me busy.  It's hard to take time for myself and let other things go.

Where's the balance in it all?  I'm not sure.  I guess I'll keep looking for it.  

I enjoy the spontaneous and the adventurous spirit of summer!  I miss my time with a brush in my hand. I'm not keeping up on the ICAD challenge like I'd hoped. It feels like I'm about to lose my creative time in the art room.  I love my family and our time together.  There's got to be some time for me to keep being an artist.  

I've worked so hard and come so far...and it could easily slip away through my fingers.  Where is the balance?  The month of June made this a full year spent pursuing art with more time and energy.  I feel like I'm still breaking new ground.  With each month that passes, I wonder what's yet to come and what to goals to set for my art.

On to a more positive note:

I have been blessed with another sale, the Goldfinch Snack Station Giclee print is now available in the Etsy shop ChristySheelerArtist.  Last week I got a phone call, someone interested in an appointment to purchase one of my Giclee prints.  She wanted to purchase one and ship it off to her brother for his birthday.  We agreed on a time later that day.  I switched gears in the day's tasks and began the preparations for the sale.  It brings great excitement as I carefully package each artwork for the buyer!  I enjoy being able to add special extra touches that show I appreciate those who purchase my artwork.  The print is shown with an ivory double mat (an additional charge) in a protective clear sleeve.  Not shown, also inside the sleeve on the reverse side, a signed description of the artwork and a business card.  The handmade note card is a free gift with purchase for the buyer.  It is blank inside and signed on the back.  The buyer shipped the print herself in a box with other items.  I cut the cardboard to fit so it would travel without damage.

A link to my Etsy shop: ChristySheelerArtist.

I'll jump in soon with getting sketches on the watercolor paper.  There's no other way to begin than with small steps.  I'll hope that when the time comes, the paint will flow just as it should without frustration.  The summer months are fleeting as is my time with my two precious teens.  It's a struggle to figure out how to make it all work better.  

So for now, I'll carry on with finding some time for me and my art.  It's all worth it in the end!

I'd like to challenge you to keep on moving with your creative pursuit.  Don't let go.  Maybe you rethink your expectations but don't let go.  The creative spirit can survive and continue; be persistent.  Remember that it will be worth it!

-Christy

She must make art.