Yarrow's Blog

Check out this link to WKBT's art blog and see my work.
http://art.blogs.wkbt.com/

My recent experience with this year's art tour was positive, refreshing, stimulating and good for the ego. I had forgotten how nice it is to talk "art" with another artist and to talk "art" with non-artists. I thoroughly enjoyed my self. I didn't have all of the stress associated with moving artwork to a far location, borrowing other people's display equipment or worrying about making enough sales to justify my existence. Yes, it wasn't easy to move the art and set up the display but it was way easier this year. I enjoyed the weekend and hope you did too.

My friend, Vic, died last September and I have been depressed ever since. Well, maybe not as much as I was. But it really knocked the stuffing out of me. I've been trying to find meaning in my art work but can't seem to make anything worth viewing. So I decided to wait a while and see what happens. I've brought more attention to my hobbies because they seem safe, friendly and non-threatening. And it has been good to simply relax and have a little fun.

I'm thinking that the time has come when I need to start producing art again. And I'm afraid that the talent has left me. I feel like an empty box. What if I can't ever paint again? What will happen to me? Will anyone care? Will I care? Does it matter? Has anyone out there had to deal with the fear of painting ability leaving? Please let me know if you have had this fear and how you dealt with it.

So I just finished doing the Historic Bluff Country Studio Artists' Tour and I am wiped out. There were so many people; well it was a fantastic turn out and I'm so glad that people came from so far away. Glad, but exhausted. I wish I could have talked longer to individuals. I dreaded all day the moment of taking everything down and packing it up. By the end of the last day I was so tired, I wasn't sure that I'd make it home. I did make it home safely and I got everything put away. I'm feeling a little let down, a little sad. What is this feeling that makes me want to stop trying to sell my art? Is it just exhaustion or is it something deeper? I'm sure that I'll be fine, but I do feel adrift.

I have my ups and downs as an artist. February started out so hopeful and the paintings were going so well that it was almost inevitable that I would crash and burn. Suddenly all of the hopeful beginnings looked like crap. Nothing I did would make the magic happen. It was looking very grim as I am trying to paint new ones to enter into several shows and I didn't think that anyone would like them because I sure didn't. Then just as suddenly the magic happened and I am hopeful again. I may have a shot at entering these shows after all.