How important is a work space? What kind of space do we need to create?
I’ve been thinking a whole lot about these questions recently. While moving out of one studio and into another I found myself in an unexpected time being uprooted without a space nor focus and I had the chance to discover what are the essential elements of a space when it comes to my creative process.
My perspective for a long time has been that if a person really wants to make something, or do something then they will and space isn’t really the dealbreaker. Yes without a space of some kind it can be nearly impossible to make art, but I’ve also known that there are many ways to be creative in all kinds of nomadic, transitory, less than ideal circumstances. I’ve sculpted on my tiny kitchen floor in a studio apartment, driven wet clay pieces across town to borrow other people’s kilns and worked in group settings where I had no space of my own, but last summer shed new light on this subject and taught me that it’s not always so black and white an issue.
In July I moved away from a sunny 1000 SF ceramics studio outfitted with 4 kilns, a RAM press, well stocked shelves of materials, and much more. I had planned to move across the country to a place that was smaller and a lot less beautiful, but also a lot more affordable so it would serve just fine.
We arrived at our destination after a 2 week and 3800 mile drive across the U.S. with cleared minds, restored spirits, and a hopeful outlook with which to start our new lives. Unfortunately we quickly realized there were some problems with the home we had planned for. The landlords hadn’t moved out and had changed what was supposed to be our home/studio into a shared arrangement (with them) and were unwilling to honor our previous agreement/lease.
We tried to compromise but found ourselves feeling like we were living under scrutiny and when the significant rodent problem revealed itself, we knew we had to find a different place asap. At this point we still had a positive attitude and a sense of humor despite the trying circumstances which included waking up one night when a large mouse or small rat jumped from Rob’s head to mine!
Now in scramble mode we spent 2 weeks scouring the Hudson Valley, western Connecticut and parts of Long Island for a place in our price range. We quickly moved out (again), put everything in storage and couch surfed for 6 weeks until mid Sept when our new place was available.
This 8 weeks without a home (and studio) created a series of circumstances we really couldn’t have imagined happening. It was stressful on many levels, and the financial repercussions were part of it. We weren’t able to produce income during this time and with the expense of moving again, our savings that was supposed to help us get started in our new lives was quickly draining away.
It wasn't a completely terrible time though and while hopping from home to home we had lots of fun times and visits with friends and family but this was freckled with the frustrating experience of not being about to accomplish much.
Honestly I imagined myself at least being able to do something like write for Steemit about the various travels, changes, and happenings in my life or draw in my sketch book. While I knew this wouldn’t make up for lost income, it would at least keep my creativity flowing which is very important for my well-being.
It didn’t work out that way though. There was something about the uprooting of 31 years in the west, then having to move again and the reality of not being able to land anywhere for such a long time that really unsettled my spirit.
What I didn’t count on was my need for a kind of peace or headspace, what I now call “bandwidth”. I had a lot of fits and starts, a lot of half written ideas and sketches but it was impossible for me to collect myself in the way that I need to develop coherent content. Bandwidth turns out - for me at least - to be the most important factor in whether I can apply myself creatively.
I can write, innovate, think creatively in a car, at my sister’s dining room table, in my friend’s backyard, in a coffeeshop or nearly anywhere, but I must able to carve out some metaphorical room for myself. I must feel something along the lines of support, freedom, and must own my mind fully during whatever time I’m using even if it’s only 15 minutes. This bandwidth enables me to gather and apply myself towards something. If I’m too worried I’m intruding on someone’s space, or I feel observed or I am not at ease for any reason, I just can’t go there regardless of how much I might want to.
A variety of situations can be workable, but the balance unfortunately can be easily upset for me. Thankfully we found a good place to land and I now have a some space which I can call my own and am once again in my creative flow. I’ll show and tell about it in my next post.
I’m very curious to hear about this subject from your perspective. What are your experiences with being able to create on the road? When does it work, when doesn’t it? what are the magical ingredients in your recipe for creative flow?
