Erika Allison's Artastic Blog

I haven’t painted for a couple of weeks. I have a doctor’s excuse…honest! I sliced my right ring fingertip – and had to get three stitches. I have had to keep it dry. It is logical that if it shouldn’t get water on it, oil paint and mineral spirits are not a good idea, either! Since the finger tip is quite sore I haven’t been too interested in doing other things in the studio, either. A slight bump of the finger is good for a few yowls from me. I got the stitches out a few days ago, but I’m supposed to keep the area dry for another week. The hand is a tough place to get an injury. It’s very easy to bump and split open again. Don’t want that!

It’s quite frustrating to be put on the bench, so to speak. It feels like I’m wasting precious time. I want to be painting. I need to be painting. I need to build panels for painting. I need to be preparing surfaces. The list goes on. Deadlines are looming. Self-imposed deadlines, but, deadlines nonetheless.

The upside to being on the bench (I always try to find a positive) is that it has given me some time to really think about things I want to be doing in my work. I like where I’ve been and where I am. But, we don’t stay in the same place forever. I feel like I’m going down a path and searching as I go. I’m searching for new things, new ideas, new ways to express them. It’s a creative journey. It’s exciting because it’s not static. You don’t “find” what you’re searching for and then the game is over. Each find is like opening a new door. And, each new door that is opened is an invitation to keep going down the path. It’s ongoing and unending. That’s why it’s so exciting. The possibilities are endless. And, that’s why it’s hard to be on the bench. It’s like being at a standstill or treading water or running in place. Boring.

I don’t like to be bored. I am rarely bored. I came across this great quote awhile back. I can’t remember who to attribute it to – and it may not be quite accurate, but…it said something like -” If you are bored, perhaps it’s because you are boring!”  It sounded logical to me.

I’m ready to get my hands dirty again…