hello,
so i was stuck in a wormhole for a bit. i was feeling very lacklustre with no motivation to create anything.
🔄 no inspiration or motivation → no creative performance → upset because i can’t do what makes me happy (which is collaging) → no inspiration or motivation
and the cycle kept going.
i sat down and forced myself to collage. it just ended in more frustration. nothing i made felt right. i decided to take a step back. the uncertainty of not knowing when i would have the motivation to create again was nerve-wrecking.
a week or so passed and there was something about doing nothing that became really tiring. i woke up and thought yep today’s the day.
i planned an art day with the end goal to collage free of expectation. i went to my favourite cafe, visited the library, walked through a free art exhibit and finished the day by collaging in a park. when i unpacked my art supplies, i felt i had let go of my self doubt, let go of the high standards i set myself and let go of the pressure to always create something good. i didn’t even realise i had internalised all these expectations, but looking back, it was probably the reason why i felt so unmotivated. the collages i made that day weren’t my best work, but it was a start. i felt excited to create again.
selfishly, i think this newsletter is for future me who may feel stuck in the ‘lack of motivation’ wormhole. maybe you’ll get something out of it too, hopefully.
jade x
to future jade who doesn’t feel motivated to create
acknowledge your feelings and tell a friend
feeling seen and heard by a creative friend is comforting because i can guarantee that they’ve gone through the same thing as you.
don’t be hard on yourself
it happens to the best of us. use this time to take a step back, distance yourself from your artwork. don’t force anything, it leads to more frustration.
when you’re feeling a little more at ease, go to an art gallery
something about being surrounded by art is invigorating.
change your environment
usually i collage in my room, this time i ventured outdoors to a park. the change of scenery made me feel excited.
change up your art process
routine is great, but i found that changing up my collage routine shifted something in my brain. i was slightly out of my comfort zone and i felt challenged.
this is what i usually do when i collage:
print collage kit
cut all the images out
sift through all the pieces and assemble them into a collage
this is what i did differently:
printed collage kit
found one image i liked, cut it out
found another image i thought would go well with it, cut it out
continued this process until i finished with a collage
History of Deadline by Chelsea Bodimeade
Chelsea Bodimeade is currently studying and finds inspiration in the poetry works of Maria Takolander and Elizabeth Bishop. The poem above was actually a university assignment Chelsea submitted for a final. Prior to taking this class, Chelsea had limited experience with poetry. She would excitedly message me after class and send me all the poems she was analysing. Some days I even received voice memos of poems she would read aloud. Chelsea’s excitement to learn has always inspired me and her determination to leap out of her comfort zone has helped push me along when I’m feeling most unmotivated. Chelsea is one of my ride-or-dies and I really hope she continues writing poetry 🥰
collage kit - vintage frolic
enjoy this small collage kit packed with vintage ephemera. as always, i would love to see what you create. don’t forget to tag me @chubbycalico_
things that make me feel excited to create
going to the cinema by myself
bus rides through the city
listening to my ‘main character’ playlist
walking around suburbia and taking pictures of my favourite houses (pics below)
reading a screenplay while watching the movie at the same time (booksmart and lady bird are my go-to’s)
some recent film pics i took
last notes
we all go through a ‘lack of motivation’ phase. it’s normal. know that it’s temporary and trust that it will pass.
thank you for reading, catch you in a fortnight’s time.
💌 read last fortnight’s newsletter here
🐀 read my first monthly round up here
I did a bus ride through the city today and really sparked my creativity!! I'm glad it's not just me