Beware the 10,000 Beautiful Things

This week I went to see the Encaustic show Working with Wax: Contemporary Encaustic Painting in Northern California, at Santa Rosa Junior College's Art Gallery.  After an inspiring talk from Mark Perlman, an SSU professor and remarkable encaustic artist, I began talking to some acquaintances at the show about my doing so many things and going  in so many directions creatively that I have gotten side tracked from my love and commitment to working/playing in Encaustic.

One person mentioned a teacher who once said "Beware the 10,000 Beautiful Things" That statement really touched me and  I have been mulling over that statement all week, as I witness all my creative projects tugging at me like  my many children calling out for attention, as I neglect them by sitting in front of the computer, looking at the beautiful inspiring art and creativity posted from all over the cyber universe.

Can I find time for my one true love, or can I not shame/blame/judge myself for my lovely, affairs with other media, my quickies into others art on line, and flitting from media to media.

I am working on this and am curious about other peoples  ability or lack of it to focus on one thing.  So if you are reading this and struggle with this challenge, let me know how you make peace with it.

As an art therapist, and creativity facilitator, being able to teach, inspire and support people in many way of creative expression is a benefit, as an artist it keeps me from delving deeply into the exploration of one process and the infinite variety of ways I can explore theme.

I am also pondering over the fact that using computers has made me, or rather exacerbated my tendencies towards being ADD.  I used to be able to lose myself for hours in my artmaking, but now, I am lured more and more by the computer and have to set boundaries, in order to do art, read books, take walks, etc.  Does anyone else feel this way, that traveling at the speed of light online, makes it more difficult to stay focused?  I am concerned by this.

One of the ways I have been flitting is in my mixed media art journals.  So these photos are from a journal I have been working on since the holidays.

For me working in this journal is a process of inviting in the muse, priming the pump, nurturing my soul, playing with possibilities without  worrying about outcome or product.

I am curious to hear of how others approach, invite, explore or set boundaries on the 10,000 Beautiful Things.  Let me know.  Ciao