why do i write?


romana from the creatory got in touch to ask if i wanted to be part of a blog chain/hop whatever you want to call it on the subject of why do i write. and i said yes...

but first a little history [ok - more like a meandering]. 

i have been blogging now for TEN years. that is a *&^#&@!! long time. in this past decade i have literally seen the landscape of the internet change dramatically. needless to say the function, look, feel, use of blogs has also changed significantly. there was no instagram, facebook, insert your other favorite social media here. in my best grandma i walked 5 hours in the snow voice let me tell you that in the beginning blogs were so very different. i was able to find, get to know, fall in love with a whole host of people, artists, makers, thinkers that i am STILL friends with - the beauty is that these people became some of my best friends in REAL LIFE.


blogs were a way for me to "meet" up with other creative people holed away. they were a lifeline. an instant filter - if i liked your photos, i would probably like you... and if your writing spoke to me, well then that sealed the deal. blogs were a means to get inspired. to see how other people did things. to talk about what was important to us. to make visual diaries. to explore. to share. to feel less alone. 

my days consisted of waking up, drinking coffee and then checking in with my friends via their blogs, and their flickr accounts. 

in fact back in the day i asked the question why do we blog? and a bunch of people just answered.  [i'm not sure if all those links are live anymore, but you get the idea].

blogs now feel much more polished. they are often associated with building a name for yourself - for selling and branding your creative person/business. for getting the word OUT about what you are up to, blah blah blah. around the time of the explosion of lifestyle blogs i seriously thought about giving up blogging all together. it felt like there were so many blogs, too many to keep up with. and all the friends i had made were all doing well... and thus were super busy. some of them stopped blogging. some of their blogs felt entirely different. the internet didn't feel the same. it didn't feel like we were all having our morning coffee together. the thought of stopping crossed my mind again when i had my child. why? why do this if it doesn't feel like the same community it did when i started? i now had even LESS time to look/write/read. what was my blog for? for me? for an "audience"? for ??? 

but here's the thing. in the end i figured out that for me the act of writing itself is important, has merit, and ultimately helpful. the act of curating images together, of putting down/out my thoughts is/was something that i enjoy immensely- and helps my creative process. the act of being here in some shape/form [and it's certainly decreased over the years] is still viable and interesting for me. it helps me congeal what i'm thinking about. writing holds me accountable. and so that is why i'm still HERE. why i still write. 

still with me?
here are the questions that are part of the meme. you can visit the creatory's blog to find out how she answered...

WHAT AM I WORKING ON?

right this minute i am working mostly on my artwork. i'm getting ready for my residency in kansas and for my upcoming solo exhibition [which i wrote about in my last post].

for those of you who who might be visiting me for the first time or who have no idea what i make... my work is always rooted in something that interests me personally [duh - what artwork isn't]. i tend to do a lot of research on a subject and then make art that is an interpretation of what i've discovered [or is a visual means to discuss what interests me]. my work utilizes a lot of "crafty" materials - particularly embroidery and crochet - and i'm a serious color nut. i'm continually exploring color theory and what colors do/mean.

if you want to know more about what i do, feel free to root through the archives here or visit my website or read my artist statement. i also just recently talked about my process on fuel your process.


HOW DOES MY WRITING DIFFER FROM OTHERS IN IT'S GENRE?

i'm not entirely sure how my writing differs. to be frank i'm not even sure what genre i'm in. this isn't just an artist's blog. or a crafter's blog. or insert your genre here blog. i've always avoided boxes and categories for my work and what i make, and have never really felt comfortable writing on a singular topic or in a singular style.

i think what is certainly consistent in my blog is that i write in a very conversational manner. i don't adhere to grammar or technical constraints. [i don't capitalize for faster typing]. i also over use parentheticals [but i won't stop this habit i'm sure. see?]

i also now post when i want to. there is no schedule. i don't feel the need to "feed" my blog like i used to. i do try to announce things that are related to my work or workshops that i'm teaching, but otherwise i write about what/why i'm making, cooking, eating, doing as a mom, how i feel about any subject, art/makers i like, photographs i'm taking [often polaroids]. occasionally i've been asking for help from people to complete art projects.

i try really hard to be genuine in this space. i fell in love with blogs because they offered an insight into how people lived their lives, and how they do what they do. i like the sense of community, and i want to maintain that feeling.


WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I DO?

in the beginning i used to worry that my blog had no focus. but now i don't really care.
i write what i do because i want to. something strikes my fancy and i write about it. i finish making something and i want to share it.

i've discovered over the years that writing is a great way for me to focus. it's a way for me to work out

ideas, make sure they are sound and not completely off the wall [or if they are off the wall to figure out why they interest me]. i actually really enjoy the process of writing. it makes my brain work in a different way.

it's a way for me to document my process and my life. it's very much a virtual sketchbook for me.


HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?

often times i just open up blogger and start typing. i generally know i have one thing i want to share/show but other than that.... it's rather freeform. i do tend to organize and photos/links together. i type everything out and then add the photos/links as needed. or i place the photos first and then type around them.

what i've found really interesting over the years is that if i'm thinking about posting something that is highly emotional or sensitive i write things out by hand in my sketchbook first. my brain kicks in a different way when i take pen to paper.

voila. i've answered the meme. don't kill me romana, but i'm not going to invite specific people. i was always the kid the broke chain letters when i was a child. BUT - i throw this out to anyone. if you want to answer the questions, please do and link to your post in the comments.

p/s all the images except typewriter [which is from the lovely papermonkeypress] are from #lookupanddown

Comments

Anonymous said…
it is a good thing that you don't let yourself be concerned about categories of writing or producing art....the process of doing it is far more important than what 'kind' it is.
Unknown said…
You rebel you! You are in no danger from me heheh. Lisa, I love your take on things.You seem very in touch with your process and self, your ability to share that so frankly gives your writing real power. A breath of fresh air!
emily said…
this is JUST what we were talking about over breakfast, yes? you remind me again and again. xo.
Heather said…
In my feed, I have a category called "original content" for the blogs that defy category and are always the author's own photos and words. It's where my favorites live, including yours!
lisa solomon said…
@Heather - that is the NICEST thing you could have said. thank you... XO

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