Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Gone Crazy


Albert Einstein once said "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results." Well, I feel like I'm getting close but I will spare you the details and say this;

It's time to change gears. The internet is effecting my artistic practice, I find that I am constantly looking for something to write, tweet, post about that I can’t be creative. I feel like there is a lot of wasted time and  loss of interaction. All of this 'social networking' is making me eminently unsocial. 

I’ve been trying to  really think about what it is that I think I am good at and the conclusion I came to  is that I’m good at people - but face-to-face people, I enjoy conversation but I hate talking on the phone. So it makes me wonder why I would think I would be good at 'talking' to people on-line. It just feels like something is missing to me and like I am trying to be something that I’m not. 

With constant pressure to produce more and always be present and interact online, I loose myself in that rather than loosing myself in my work.  I don’t understand how to make it all work together – it’s just not me. As an artist my work improves by working continuously and there are times when I am incredibly productive and then it gets interrupted by the pressure to be on line. I’m trying too hard, its not working. It’s time to get more involved in the community and the social networking that I understand; with real people.

Some people seem to have the knack for the Internet but I went from working with groups of 25 people at a time 5 days per week, interacting, talking, meeting so many interesting people, to sitting on a computer trying to get people to notice me and join in conversations where my responses are taken the wrong way. This isn’t working and I think that is important to understand when its time to try something new. 

I know this is similar to posts that I’ve written in the past but, things have really come to hit me in the past few weeks. I’m just not cut out for this internet business. Perhaps this is not a smart move on my part but in thinking of when and how I have had success with my work in the past, it’s always been in person. Of course that doesn’t mean I won’t be using the internet at all anymore, I think that is pretty near impossible these days, but I think it will be second to the work, and only when I have something that I think is truly worth sharing. I’m betting that your not interested in seeing a post from me everyday on my facebook page telling you that I made another pair of earrings.  I will be taking some time to re-evaluate and re-focus. I truly admire those of you who have found a way to make this all work and who have found success on-line, but for me its time for a different approach. 

The blog will stay up, but again only be updated when I think there is something interesting to share with you! Thanks for reading and please feel free to contact me anytime! 

Ciao belli!

9 comments:

  1. Sara, it's uncanny, but I read your post at a time when similar thoughts have been going through my head! There is so much emphasis these days on self-promoting/self-marketing that, while it can be empowering up to a point, after a while it just seems like so much empty noise. (And it's draining to keep on top of when all you want to really do is create). I think it does get in the way of art.

    I can't help but think about the likes of Picasso, Hemingway, Coco Chanel, Gershwin: would they be Tweeting like mad, coddling their Facebook pages and blogs, and worrying over SEO's and Google rankings and self-branding????

    Good for you--focus on your passion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for sharing your feelings Sara, I absolutely understand where you are coming from. Since the largest part of my day is also consumed on the internet, some days I feel inspired, some days I feel brain dead. It is not healthy for me either. The good news is there are lots of things on the horizon to get "out there" more!

    I am looking forward to our project we will be working on together! Brava for keeping your eye on your passion. Do what makes YOU happy.
    Love, Christine

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ladies, thank you both for your wonderful and encouraging comments! Elizabeth, it is so true! It's funny because I was totally thinking about Coco, nothing was more important to her than her vision!! I was thinking about all these great artists and designer and thinking that they were and are immersed in their work not worrying about the what other people were doing! Absolutely true!

    Christy- I cannot even begin to tell you have excited I am about this project! Everything happens exactly when we need it too!! Looking forward to getting out there and re-discovering the city from a new point of view and meeting new PEOPLE!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Sara, I'm all with you on this one, I agree and understand totally. My theory (I have a lot of them - as the amateur filosopher I am ;) ) is that artists (or at least myself and people like me) use another energy from their souls creating things and living. Internet and computers requires another type of energy, shutting out some of the liveliness and creativity of the soul.
    I too love people. It's my passion to observe. I painted faces when I was a small girl and never stopped. I loved being in Florence. People in Florence are full of life in a special way. It needs to be felt. Taken in. And (I believe) not behind a screen.
    I use internet to get inspired but I would love to learn to do it more effectively. Sometimes I have to shut it down totally to "find mySelf" again.
    Well... Hope I don't seem too crazy writing this comment. I really wish you good luck and I believe you're on to something having these thoughts! Hope to meet you next time I'm in Florence, you seem like a really nice girl. :)
    Big virtual stranger hug from me! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Helene!!! Thank you! What a beautiful comment, so well said and so very true. I too hope that I can meet you in person the next time you visit Florence! It would be such a pleasure for me. As always I love and appreciate your comments! un abbraccio anche a te cara!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yay! Good for you :) You are definitely a people person and I know that you are going to make amazing creations. You always amaze me! I am looking forward to seeing the latest manifestation of beauty that comes out of your bottega my dear. Most importantly, have fun with it.
    <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Christine! I am definitely feeling a little lost these first few days, but I am beginning to get used to it! Hopefully it won't be too long now! Hope you are doing good! A presto my dear friend!

      Delete
  7. Sara, I totally agree with the comments above. I think you touch on something really important here for so many people today. I can see how too much internet and the need to self-promote, etc...can be especially draining for artists and artistic creativity and it can just eat up time and energy at times. But it's true for non artists too I think and people's soul's in general. There needs to be a balance and a self limit otherwise we really do start to work and think and talk like computers, too fast and too superficially! What happened to simply being bored and not having the deep internet sea to navigate through (as useful for so many things as it is)? The concept of boredom doesn't really exist anymore, does it?

    It's funny because I've been trying to find a new cell phone plan and be able to use my internet connection on my phone when I'm on the train so I can check email there, but now I'm thinking that maybe that's not such a good idea. Maybe I should just keep that "sacred" time technology free! I actually like that half hour ride into Florence and home to read,think or just stare out the window.

    You are such a good people person and artist and always exploring new depths into yourself and your creativity - especially since transitioning from working with big groups face to face to working more on your own, so I know you're on the right track despite lots of new challenges!

    :-) baci.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you Molly! What a nice comment. I really am just trying to get back in touch with the 'real world' again and spend my evenings reading or drawing instead of on facebook, twitter, etc. I feel like it really has helped me appreciate the little things again and gets the creative juices flowing. I am also enjoying watching films again, but good thought provoking films, I forgot how much I love a good movie.

    I have a cell phone with internet capabilities too and it is tempting at times I must admit, but I love the idea of just being and staring out the window at the Tuscan countryside. Enjoy it!

    I really do love being with people! Let's do lunch soon BTW!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment! I always look forward to hearing from my reader! It will just take a second and I will get your comment posted!

Don't be Shy! Share!