as an artist my studio is my sanctuary
and my solitary refuge
is an accepted given that i labor in quiet
answering to no one but my own internal insight
to dictate how i want to express myself
my artwork has always been the anchor
of my life's purpose
a space where i am fully present
throughout the inspiration phase
the development phase
and the creation of the final piece
when i am in that flow state
the world fades
time dissolves
and i look forward to sharing my message with others
over the last couple of years
my solitude shifted from a productive refuge
into a profound inquiry
who am i
and where do i belong
these are not new questions
but rather ongoing ones
how do i continue to produce
when my very self is in flux
this difficult season of reinvention also meant
I didn’t know how to be
my work no longer knows what to be
i change
my work changes
while my mental and physical being
still knew how to create
completing my artist's books
became an exhausting task
my flow was broken
ultimately
this period of profound searching
and navigating an unmet yearning
still gave birth to new artists' books
i realized i had just temporarily misplaced myself
i’m still on a journey
the art still calls
the core inspiration remains the same
i have more to say
© 2018 Louise Levergneux. A beautiful sunrise in Gila Bend, Arizona
Life happens, and sometimes it leaves our creative projects completely stalled. How do you unstick your creativity when heavy life experiences weigh you down? Let me know your favorite tricks or rituals.