The question was natural enough. One of my favorite people asked across the Easter dinner table, “So what new creative projects do you have going on with your photography?”
I drew a blank. What an uncomfortable feeling! Trying to answer my friend brought my creative dry spell into sharp focus.
There’s the fear that I’ll never again feel inspired, countered with the logical explanation that this is a temporary limbo. Is the energy drain of my recent move (all that packing and unpacking, arranging and rearranging) the reason why? Or perhaps the daunting manuscript revision has stolen my creative juices. Can I blame the physical demands of my job? That seems a poor excuse.
In the meantime, I continue to read the blog posts and browse the flickr photostreams of others whose work I admire. And Friday’s field trip to see the Big Apple Circus is an exciting item on the calendar.
Here’s hoping my batteries are just on recharge. I wonder if they allow cameras under the big tent …
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Who knows what is actually brewing inside the seemingly still, quiet of a creative spirit. Somestimes what seems to be a creative dry spell is actually a part of the overall creative process and you emerge from it with something fresh, new, and more spectacular than before.
Wishing you well my friend,
firefly
I know full well of what you write! It will come back. Just nurture yourself and if you are like me, give yourself some downtime to allow the batteries to recharge. Life is exhausting!
I’m sure your friend was hoping you were doing something that you enjoy that brings joy to others as well. So… what’s wrong with the pics you took at work? It sure inspired ME to go in search of Hydrangea for my garden!! Cut yourself some slack already!
I am sure you are right, Jenny (snydeen). I didn’t mind her asking at all.
Creativity is interesting to me. I have to be in a good place emotionally to be creative. I would get defensive if someone asked me about that across the dinner table. How do you explain that you are depressed or working through a problem and can’t be creative?
Also, if I am busy on one thing (like you are with your writing project) it means that other things I am interested take a back seat.
I think you need to look at the bigger picture. Give yourself a break. You are being creative, but it might not be phototgraphy at the moment.