The Tenuous Balance of the Creative Process

As some of you already know I’m in the middle of writing a book and due to that endeavor my blog postings have been sparse lately. Nonexistent really. I have been building things in my shop but writing about them takes away from the time I need to be writing “the book”. Writing is a solitary task that is rife with self doubt and personal angst that is interspersed with occasional moments of inspiration and connection. It is easy to loose balance and fall into an obsessive anti-social state. Self-consumption is something I am familiar with. Something I am not fond of. It's a drag.

Today I took a day off and spent it cleaning the shop, ordering material for a new project, and doing menial tasks that required just enough mental capacity to maintain my focus and direction. It was a relief. I love the shop. I love the smell of sawdust and the tactile nature of wood. How different kinds have different densities, weights, and textures. I needed to be reminded of the importance of balance in my life. Reminded that there exists a world outside. Reminded of the beauty in a simple piece of maple.

Or a portrait on a coffee cup. My friend drew this. It's me as a cat. Art can be found anywhere....