Borrowing

For many reasons, there are times when I get stuck and afraid of making art. If I look into it, a traumatized part is usually the source of the blocking - her feelings of shame and lack of psychological safety are "up" in me.

I try not to force it when this happens, as that part within will experience my forcing as violent, when what she needs is complete safety, total acceptance of her before she can even begin to think of unwinding enough to heal. For that reason, I usually try my best to allow the situation to be what it is, to see it as part of the natural tides and rhythms of creativity. It's not always the right time for making stuff. 

However, since it is such a source of joy to play, I do sometimes see if I can awaken the desire to, especially if the block has gone on for a while and other parts within are getting cranky that this wounded part is still holding court. I know I will feel better once I am playing again - the trick is finding a way to let myself do that in spite of all my imperfections, my sad or angry feelings, and so on. 

The way I do this is to set a constraint that is so low in its expectations that there is literally no way to fail, and yet which is somehow irresistible to me, a fun game that even the wounded part will want to play when I offer it to her in a spirit of gentle openness. 

If you long to play, but feel fear of it today for whatever reason, maybe this exercise is for you.

My invitation to you: Borrow something small from another artist, and make a version out of it. It can be very short, or very small, and there is no wrong way to do it. Even if you do it exactly the way they did it, it will be still be a unique piece of art because it’s got your imprint on it now. I also invite you to do it in a vastly different way than they did, if you like. Imagine if these were your words/ images/ expressions/ movements, or if you needed to communicate what you are currently feeling using this art piece. A fun challenge can be to pick a genre that you would never normally do yourself.

I've created a little example for you in song. May this creative play be curative for you!

Lyrical fragment taken from the James Brown song, Super Bad.

Thumbnail image reverently appropriated from Ruth Heller's Animals Born Alive and Well.