It's a sickness I allow as long as it doesn't get in the way of creativity. Now that I have a better idea what I like I have put some severe limits on what I add and am starting to put away, sell and gift what I am not using. Mostly I just focus on drawing and painting every day. As much as I strive for minimalism I often fall short, especially when it comes to art and stationary supplies. This little box I got in London when I first moved to the UK and was waiting for my supplies to arrive from Boston via boat shipment. Now it is a contained collection of everything I need to get to art making. Usually in the living room while I watch TV with my husband in the evening. What is your shopping weakness if you have one?
Split Personality : Hoarder Artist in a Minimalist Life
As an artist I am a natural hoarder as I am inclined to keep all sorts of items for possibly future use and save things like sketchbooks. I make and collect art and books and these take up space. But I have found that life works more efficiently when I have less stuff and spend less time cleaning and more time working on what I care about. How do I find that balance? When do you let old art or art supplies go?
As a (wannabe) Minimalist Do I Have to Throw my Beautiful Garbage Out?
It may look pretty but it is trash and my storage is not unlimited. And I am supposed to be into minimalism. Sometimes I hate having to throw out some of the trash that I end up in my studio. Not because I am super committed to recycling but some of it is rather beautiful and I get attached. Whenever I print I put a piece or two of newsprint behind my inked woodblock to catch any excess around the edges of the print paper. Then I save it and let it dry and use it when I print again. Dozens of these sheets going at a time. I can easily use them twenty times before they start to break down. By then they are a rainbow of color and and a variety of images. Accidentally arranged. Sometimes they can be quite beautiful. But on newsprint? I've tried to recreate the same effect on good paper with less than magical results. So I save the newsprint for awhile. Photograph them and try to use them as wrapping paper whenever I can. But sometimes they just have to get tossed. And it hurts, but what else am I supposed to do?
