New Balance

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what my ideal studio routine would be. The norm usually involves all creative play and no admin, or all admin and no creative play. Neither situation is ideal – when I am totally engrossed in admin I have pangs of guilt that I am not spending any time on creative play, and vice versa.

I’m hoping a can shape a schedule that includes a portion of admin each studio day so that I can keep on top of deadlines. To help me get on track, I’ve registered myself in an artists’ mentorship program (thanks Tzaddi, for the initial link!). This will be my second mentorship. The first – several years ago with Vancouver-based artist Haruko Okano – was fabulous and it helped me shape my career goals immensely. This second program – online and led by San Francisco-based artist Michele Theberge – overlaps some of the material introduced to me in the first mentorship, but I am a big fan of being tutored the same or similar information from a different point of view. What caught my interest in Michele’s program was the focus on a creative/spiritual balance. I’ve spent many a year pooh-poohing meditation (basically because I’ve never been able to quiet my monkey mind enough to focus and I find it exhausting). I feel like it’s time to seriously give meditation a chance.

Seriously.

But I’ve gotta ease into it. Tomorrow I start a twice-weekly yoga class at the community centre up the street.

One small step of many that will lead to new balance.