this must be a writing day
not an art day
I used to write weekly, first on my self-created 1999 website, followed by a blog in 2005, and later in a weekly newsletter. I intended to continue at this pace, but as the time between writing stretched from two weeks to three and then from one month to six, I stopped making it a part of my life.
Instagram and Facebook kept me connected, but I found myself increasingly wanting to pour my thoughts out on a page that people would want to stop and read rather than see a photo and scroll on. Writing this now gives me a twinge of, “Why would anyone want to read my thoughts?” Self-deprecation? But I wouldn’t be following my own advice if I didn’t start writing again.
I write to figure things out. It’s all a swirling jumble in my head until I pluck and place my thoughts and words on paper.
Writing and journaling organize my thoughts and rein in and record the wanderings and wonders of my mind. It’s a different process than creating my visual journals where I capture ideas sparked by magazines and photos that inspire me. My ideas also come from anything—nature, TV, songs, snippets of conversation, crumbling walls, trash…I think you understand.
I can’t do both at once. I have writing days and art days, not on a schedule, but as the inspiration and mood moves me. If I’m focused on art, I can’t write. When I’m on a writing streak, making art goes by the wayside. I’m not sure why this happens. Writing about my duality may help me figure it out. And just maybe I’ll be able to do both things in one day. But do I want to?
It may be because words must be carefully yet creatively chosen, well-thought-out, and perfectly placed. My art, on the other hand, is serendipitous and approached with a what-if or why-not frame of mind. Both the writing and the art are created to be seen, but the interpretation of the two is different. Writing necessitates clarity of thought and message. Art leaves both up to the viewer and, often, even the creator.
The thing is, they’re both a form of art, aren’t they? Both make something out of nothing, the very definition of creating. Even private journal writing is an act of creation, providing the writer with a way to connect to the soul and create clarity and points of reference that help one understand and know oneself over time.
Taking thoughts out of your head and making them visual through writing or creating art is a way to know thyself. I now know more about myself than when I started writing this post. I hope I’ve given you something to ponder or, better yet, write about. Start here and now by leaving a comment.
Quotes of the Week
You can't sit around and wait for somebody to say who you are. You need to write it and paint it and do it.
Faith Ringgold
I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.
Robert Louis Stevenson
I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes, I write one, and I look at it until it begins to shine.
Emily Dickinson
I’ve been journaling for years now. Writing on Substack has brought me clarity and given my brain another creative outlet. Like you when my right brain is in full gear. My left brain is silent. When my left brain is focusing my right brain is asleep. This kind of brain ping-pong keeps life. Interesting doesn’t it keep writing I love to read your insights.
So true. . . and thought-provoking (thank you!). Sometimes I write and then continue to process my thoughts by adding a layer of collage or mixed media. . . left brain/right brain? Or I start with art supplies and then find a word or phrase to apply on top. . . right brain/left brain? For me, combining writing and art leads to a feeling of integration - wholeness - that is different from either writing or using mixed media alone. Creating music must be much the same, combing written notation and hearing the notes played. Either activity can be done alone or they can be combined. Fun to think about.