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This past weekend, I had to move. It was only three doors down, so, in a way, it was harder than moving across town. Moving further away would justify me renting a truck and maybe some movers. But almost next door, I felt I needed to just do it myself.

In my last blog, I touched upon how having so many “art supplies” conflicted with my desire to move around the world freely and unencumbered.

I am very interested in exploring opposites and juxtapositions. This is a big one.

Hauling all my stuff in endless trips- in a little wagon- really hit home to me how much I wish that desire was reality.

The groundskeeper hauled much of it on a lawn tractor and cart in two trips which saved me probably 8 hours of walking. I dodged most of the thunderstorms.

And my new place is full of “art supplies” piled up and impeding my ability to move about my home freely and unencumbered (let alone the world).

I get such joy going through each box though and seeing the possibilities of what I am going to make. I almost forget how tied down I feel.

I have gotten into fabric art now, to add to my mixed media array, and so I have boxes of lace, silk, linen and novel clothing that I am going to make into cool new art clothing. I curse the thrift store that sells clothing at $1 apiece but I can’t stop going there.

So I’m tied down to “art supplies”, the possibilities they hold, the excitement of creating and my dreams of leaving behind something that is meaningful and valued.

My imagination and creativity roam the earth freely and unimpeded. That may have to be enough for now.

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moth girl by beth smith Me to a friend who was smoking Spirit Cigarettes: “you aren’t throwing away that package they came in are you?”

Also me to a friend who is donating clothing: “can I have anything with silk, lace or linen?”

Me again: “I wish to be a person without possessions who floats freely.”

This is the anguish of a mixed media artist who has a constant flow of ideas for how to use anything she sees in a novel way in a piece of art and in life itself.

I have a studio and two-and-a-half storage units full of “art supplies”. I find the thrill of the hunt to be more exciting than doing the art. Or perhaps it is safer.

I do art stuff every day but I can never accomplish everything that is in my head or my stash of possibilities.

I try to narrow things down. Maybe if I just concentrate on one – or two- art forms.

Just paint and maybe some polymer clay.

But what about jewelry?

Assemblage?

Mosaic?

All the beautiful tools and raw materials?

I was so excited when I found out I didn’t love silver clay! It is expensive and I didn’t really love it, so that is cause for celebration! I also don’t love knitting and crochet.

Why can’t I find something else I don’t love?

The curse – and the beauty- of mixed media is you get to use everything you want and love. Which means you collect everything you want and love. You see possibilities in everything!

The act of combining all of the various disparate parts into a whole is infinitely satisfying. In life parallel, it means you take all the stuff of life and make something of it. You organized all that stuff inside into something beautiful. Your life has meaning and beauty.

And then you begin again….. And again…….

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Facebook: URCreativeCrystalRiver • Instagram: URCreativeCR
Call (540) 461-2384 • Email: beth@ URCreative.biz

Mixed up

Hanging on and Letting Go