I spend a lot of time making things. Some of it is for our retreats, some of it ends up as artwork around the Farm, and some starts as an idea I just want to try. But I've noticed something about myself. Even when I'm working on something just for fun, I can catch myself thinking about what I'm going to do with it when it's finished.
Could it become a project for one of our retreats? Would it look good somewhere in the farmhouse? Is it something I should photograph or save for later?
There's nothing wrong with any of those things. I love coming up with projects for our guests, and there's a lot of my artwork scattered throughout Big Raven Farm. But occasionally I have to remind myself that I can make something simply because I want to. It doesn't have to become anything more than that.
I might spend an afternoon working on something that never leaves my studio, combining different materials just to see what happens. Maybe it doesn't match anything in the house, doesn't have a practical purpose, and probably wouldn't interest anyone else. That's perfectly fine with me.
The funny thing is, I know all of this. I've been making things for most of my life, and yet I still catch myself trying to find a reason for what I'm doing.
When Making Things Starts to Feel Like Work
We're so used to being productive that sometimes it's hard to spend an afternoon doing something without feeling like we should have something to show for it.
If we bake, we're making something for the family. If we sew, we're fixing something or making a gift. If we garden, we're growing vegetables or trying to make the yard look better. Even our hobbies can start to feel like another list of things we're supposed to accomplish.
There's nothing wrong with enjoying the finished results. I love completing a project and being happy with how it turned out. But I've also had afternoons when I spent hours working on something and had very little to show for it afterward. Maybe I was experimenting with a technique, trying different color combinations, or taking something apart and putting it back together in a completely different way.
If you asked me what I accomplished that afternoon, I might have a hard time coming up with an answer. But I had a wonderful time, and I don't see any reason that shouldn't count.
I know how easily that can get lost in the middle of running a business. Between planning retreats, preparing projects, taking care of the Farm, and all the other things that need attention, there's always something waiting to be done. Even when I have time to work in my studio, it's tempting to use those hours to get ahead on something for an upcoming retreat.
I enjoy that work, but it's different from sitting down with no particular plan and seeing what I feel like making.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that an afternoon spent experimenting with paint or paper isn't wasted simply because I didn't finish anything. I wouldn't think twice about spending an afternoon reading a good book, and I don't need to justify that time by writing a book report afterward.
Why should making art be any different?
Making Something Without a Plan
One of the things I've always loved about making art is experimenting. I enjoy working with different materials, trying techniques I haven't used before, and seeing what happens when I combine things that weren't necessarily meant to go together.
Sometimes I have a pretty clear idea of what I want to make. Other times, I start with a material, a color, or something interesting I've come across and see where it takes me.
When I'm developing projects for our retreats, I approach things differently. I need to figure out which materials work best, how long a project will take, and how to explain the process so our guests can enjoy making it. There are instructions to write, supplies to organize, and examples to prepare.
I genuinely enjoy that part of my work. There's a lot of satisfaction in taking an idea, working through the details, and turning it into something I can share with other people.
But when I'm making something for myself, I don't have to think about any of that. I can change my mind halfway through, set something aside for a week, or decide that what I thought was going to be a painting would be much more interesting if I cut it apart and used the pieces in something else.
And if I decide I don't like what I've made, I can take it apart and try something else.
I've always loved working with paper, so naturally, I gave scrapbooking a try. I enjoyed picking out the papers, playing with colors, and putting things together, but after a while, I realized I just didn't enjoy scrapbooking as much as some of the other things I was making.
It wasn't that I disliked it. There were simply other projects I'd rather spend my time on. And considering how much I love paper, I had plenty of other options.
I still love all those beautiful papers and little embellishments, and I've found lots of other ways to use them. I didn't need to give up working with paper just because one particular craft wasn't my favorite.
I can try something, decide whether I like it, and move on to something else if I don't. I don't have to keep doing it just because I've already invested time and money in the supplies.
When I'm working this way, I find myself paying more attention to the materials and the little things that happen as I go. I might spend an hour trying different arrangements of the same few pieces or working with a combination of colors I wouldn't normally choose.
Sometimes I get so involved that I lose track of time. I might sit down intending to work for half an hour and look up to discover I've been there for two hours, still trying to decide whether something needs one more little adjustment. I like being able to follow an idea without worrying about how long it's taking.
A Weekend to Work on Something You Love
One of the things I enjoy about hosting creative retreats here at Big Raven Farm in southeastern Minnesota is seeing what happens when people have enough time to settle into their projects.
Our Pick Your Projects guests choose what they'll be making before they arrive. But once everyone is in the studio, I love watching the different ways they approach their work.
Some people like to read through the instructions and make a plan before they begin. Others are ready to jump right in. Some spend a good amount of time choosing colors and materials, while others make those decisions as they go.
Occasionally someone will start with a very definite idea of how something should look, only to change their mind halfway through because they've discovered another possibility they like better. Someone else might try a different arrangement, ask a question, or look over at what another guest is doing and get an idea they hadn't considered.
What I particularly enjoy is seeing someone become completely absorbed in what they're making. They might be working through a difficult part of a project, experimenting with different materials, or making small adjustments until they're happy with the result.
At home, it's easy for creative time to get interrupted. You sit down to work on something, remember you need to move the laundry, answer a phone call, or start thinking about dinner. Before long, you've put everything away, and another week goes by before you have a chance to get back to it.
Here at the Farm, you can leave your project on the table and come back to it later. You don't have to pack everything up because the dining room table needs to be cleared for supper.
And speaking of supper, Darin has that covered.
There's something pretty wonderful about spending the afternoon working on something you enjoy, sitting down to a delicious dinner you didn't have to prepare, and knowing that you can go right back to your project afterward if you feel like it.
Or you can spend the evening visiting with the other guests, relaxing, or heading to bed early. The next morning, your project will be waiting right where you left it.
If you've been wishing you had a little more time for the things you love making, you can explore our upcoming Pick Your Projects retreats at Big Raven Farm. We take care of the supplies, instruction, meals, and accommodations so you can enjoy a few days of creating.
A Little Time for Yourself
In an earlier blog, You Don't Need Another Hobby. You Might Need a Weekend Away, I wrote about how trying something creative doesn't have to turn into another commitment. But there's another side to that conversation.
Sometimes we already have creative interests we love. We just don't spend much time enjoying them anymore.
Maybe you love painting but haven't picked up a brush in months. Maybe you have a quilt you've been wanting to work on, or a stack of beautiful papers you've been saving for something special. Or maybe, like me, you spend plenty of time making things but have gotten into the habit of thinking about what each project needs to become.
You don't need to reorganize your entire studio, buy a bunch of new supplies, or make a schedule for how many hours you're going to spend being creative every week. You can just sit down and make something. Use the paper you've been saving, cut into that beautiful fabric, or try the idea that's been floating around in your head, even if you're not entirely sure how it's going to work.
And if you spend the whole afternoon experimenting without finishing a thing, that's fine.
I have plenty of things I've made that aren't hanging on a wall or sitting on a shelf. Some are tucked away in drawers, some have become parts of other projects, and some probably won't ever see the light of day again. I don't regret making them, though. I enjoyed the time I spent working on them.
I'm certainly not going to stop creating projects for our retreats or filling the Farm with artwork. I love doing both, and I have more ideas than I'll probably ever have time to try.
But I also want to keep making things just for myself. Things that don't need instructions, a supply list, or a place to hang when they're finished. I might spend an entire afternoon working on something, decide I don't particularly like it, and put it in a drawer.
And you know what? I probably had a pretty good afternoon making it.