Withstanding the Dry Spells

A dry spell- a time with little or no rain- halts dryland farming and drastically reduces yields.  The term also refers to a time of little production or income.  Growing up ranching, the drier part of summer- after stacking hay and before fall weaning and shipping- was a time for other activities like fixing fence, repairing machinery or working with colts.  One could turn domestic, which is what I did with my own dry time this year.

After 20 years striving in art, either as a part-time pursuit or a full-time endeavor, I found myself in a figural dry spell this spring- uninspired, and exhausted from the work and time I'd been devoting to teaching classes, shows, and commissions.  Art had so consumed me that I couldn't remember who I was apart from it.  I was always on my phone answering an email or message when I was with my loved ones.  Besides neglecting my house and gardens, my physical & emotional health was deteriorating.  I addressed this on my April blog post "A Time to Plant" at my website.

Honors like winning Amy Ringholz's Art Supply Award and being nominated for the FAB Woman of the Year this spring validated my efforts, but begged questions: "Am I striving for others or for accolades? Does saying yes to everything really benefit anyone if I'm physically spent and my inner attitude is resentful?"  I questioned my studio motivation: "Am I exploring my new ideas, or playing it safe and simply painting what will sell?" 

These questions prompted a self-imposed "dry spell," where I took a break from outside obligations and even my studio.  I didn't enter shows.  I quit writing news releases for the local artist guild, and cut back on teaching classes and attending events.  I still painted, but devoting more time to my family, house and gardens reminded me that my life used to be more balanced.  I ignored my phone more often, and even missed an appointment with Expressions Gallery about my upcoming solo show, "Backroads," opening September 21, 5:30-7:30pm (pardon the plug), because I hadn't looked at my planner in days!

The self-defeating voice in my head was loud and demeaning, and art production waned during the summer as I tried to regain my path as an artist.  I wiped out dozens of paintings that didn’t express anything in particular, and I worried about my art career as my bank account shrunk.  Yet my gardens grew, and harvesting and preserving the miracle of tiny seeds in good soil reminded me of the process of completing a good painting. 

Destroying art that didn't represent me well helped identify my direction as an artist; it reminds me of pulling unproductive plants from my garden to make room for what is thriving.  Time out of my studio makes me appreciate the huge blessing of being able to follow my dreams.  Time away from teaching makes me eager to use my RASA award to paint with Sheridan County 4-H kids and Wyola Elementary students this fall, among other projects.  

 

I learned that dry times eventually end and can be beneficial; we can take a break, but should never give up on our dreams.  If we accept the inevitable dry spells and use the time for other positive pursuits and reflection, we'll emerge more balanced, with a better understanding of our priorities and direction -and in my case, lots of jars of dilly beans.  I hope you come to my show at Expressions in Sheridan, WY, in September- there will be a fun way to win a painting.