It’s always interesting to me when something comes up a few times in a row under different contexts. It’s a for-sure message to me to pay attention.
First I had a conversation with a friend in which we were discussing the phenomenon where two or more folks independently come up with a similar idea. I like to think about inspiration as being this huge pool we can draw from. Endless stuff available, but sometimes two people are looking at the same water lily. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Each can create from their perspective. Same starting point, different interpretations. Where it gets tricky and sticky is when someone feels like their work has been stolen.
It just so happens that the book Steal Like an Artist just made it to the top of my reading pile last night. The coincidence of that really made me laugh. While I haven’t begun it yet, I think it’ll be helpful as I continue to think about this.
And finally just to round things off, today two people I admire announced new projects I adore, but that also happen to be really similar to much-loved projects I’m working on. Sigh. That brings up lots of issues. Do I want to deep- six my plans and work and chalk it up to someone was quicker on the draw than me? I don’t think so. This stuff lights me up and if there is one thing I know it’s that you really only want to do what lights you up. Should I berate myself because in truth I move slower and more deliberately than a lot of folks, and that by nature might mean the odds are against that I’ll be first out of the gate? No, I don’t think I want to embrace that one either. My pace and rhythm are just as much a part of who I am as my language. I just want my projects/offerings to be woven through and through with my-ness. And that I can’t help but do. Should I worry people will think I’m a copycat? Bottom line truth is I can’t control what anyone thinks. Integrity is important to me, and frankly I like living in a world where it’s important to others as well. And I just have to trust people get that about me.
So I’m keeping my projects; I believe there’s room enough for everyone on the playground; and I’m smiling that our creative Muses don’t seem to mind hooking us up to the same inspiration.
It’s been over a week since I posted the daily index cards I’ve created for the ICAD challenge, so it’s time to do that. I invite you to head over to Daisy Yellow’s site and check out this week’s link up party to see what ICAD creations have been posted. Here are mine:
And it’s also time to post my final creation for the Summer of Color challenge. I can hardly believe 6 weeks of color challenges have passed so quickly! This week’s palette was sepia and sage. Be sure to check out all the other entries here.
This week I returned to making another little book – this time one of my fave fold-and-cut creations. While I can’t seem to get the colors to appear accurately, they really are sepia and sage.
I’m calling it my Venus Book. I’ve glued a pressed bit of Venus Maidenhair Fern to the cover, and attached one of the daily selfies I’ve taken this month. Given that this selfie project is part of my summer of extraordinary self-love where I’m doing my best to lavish myself, particularly my tender physical self, with compassion and love, it feels like the Venus title is perfect.
Inside I’ve mounted contact sheet prints of all the selfies I’ve taken this month. Here’s a peek at the first couple pages. The saying is from a vintage weigh-yourself-for-a-penny-and-get-a-fortune machine. How perfect is it for this booklet?
There you have it – a peek at some of the things I’ve done and some thoughts about some of the projects not-yet-ready-for-revealing. What about you? Ever struggle with someone else doing something you wanted to? Had someone copy your work? Read the Steal book? Have a Venus story you’d like to share? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
wonderful, thank you! xo
It’s been great fun play in SOC Kristin – thanks for hosting!
All of your creations are absolutely beautiful! I just love how you used this week’s Sage and Sepia from the SOC! Thanks for sharing everything with us!!!
Thanks, and I appreciate you coming by. I’m going to miss the Summer of Color challenge.
Your ICADs this week are fab!
Thanks!
Really enjoyed seeing your icads this week…great mix and love the bird images!
Also enjoyed your thoughts about inspiration and wondered if I should go get that book Steal Like an Artist. It is definitely tricky ground on the net, and the copyright infringement argument is seemingly ongoing, so it can be a tough topic. When does something become copyright infringement? Your writing reveals a generous spirit…thank you for your insights!
It’s so true Dianne that the issue of copyright is complex and navigating the online world is not easy. If I were asking for blessings around this, I’d ask that we all came to all our interactions with respect for each other and a healthy dose of generosity.
I love the idea of a daily selfie challenge and love your reasons behind doing it. This is a very cool project/booklet. I liked your icads too. I keep meaning to do some myself but haven’t yet.
Thanks. I’m glad you stopped by to say hello. I love the practice of the ICADs and the invitation to participate as you can and are inspired. Maybe you’ll find the perfect way to play as well.
Go you! Rocking the you-ness, I am never a speedy thing either, I do things in my own time, I love the way you are approaching it. Such an inspirational attitude.
I am in love with your index cards. I love all of them. Powerful images. I am going to miss Summer of Color as well, I have enjoyed trying out colour combinations that I would never have done on my own, and the connection especially has been wonderful. The last 6 weeks have flown by. 🙂
Thanks Natasha. The older I get the more clarity I truly understand we have no choice but to simply show up as who we truly are.
…Also, I forgot, I have the Steal book on my kindle, so somewhere near to the top of my never-ending pile of books I want to read. 🙂
Oooh!! Love your ICADs, especially the first two. And also your SOC book. Both challenges have been so much fun!
Thanks – and I really do appreciate you stopping by. This has indeed been a fun summer playing in these two challenges.
I love this, Deborah. You bring up some very important points about where inspiration comes from. I think that ideas are out there, in the air, like a cell phone call. If the NSA can pick up my call, can a neighbor pick up the same idea as me? Sure. All ideas are expressed uniquely. Ironically, I can take your earlier advice and laugh because I was JUST reading something about this same thing – a post somewhere (if I find the link I will attach it) about how ideas are so uniquely generated that there is just no way to produce something that is the same. It said that they gave a plot, characters, timeline, etc, to a group of writers and their ideas were so unique that it was laughable that anyone could imagine them being the same. We are all getting so much more intuitive, I think. As we grow and develop as a species, we are most definitely refining that characteristic. There are inherent consequences of that!
As for your ICAD and other projects, it inspires me. I was a bit taken aback that you would use a Motherpeace tarot card but then perhaps you lost a card and so the deck must be used in some different way? 😉 That is my all-time favorite deck!)
That’s the perfect image Amy – ideas like calls in the air able to be picked up by anyone! And I like to think of the ideas as basic building blocks – maybe I’ll go with Legos – that we can all build into our unique creations.
The Motherpeace tarot card (the back of which is the circle in the “they call themselves triangles” ICAD) was indeed part of a broken deck, although not mine. A sister mailartist sent out the cards remaining in the deck in which she had lost one and asked players to meditate upon the random card they received and then make some art based on the meditation and submit it to a call. That was years ago, but the card itself has been sitting in my stash since, and called itself out to be included in the ICAD.
Ooh, so glad I came back and saw your reply, Deborah! lol… I LOVE that! It totally changes my feeling of seeing that card. Such a precious deck to me and what a beautiful way to deal with a deck that lost one of its members! I will remember that and perhaps share that idea with some other tarot card readers I know. Thank you for everything you do, Deborah. You are a light in my world.
Oh good Amy, I’m glad! It’s always struck me as rather curious how often decks actually do get broken – it’s just seems like one of those hard-to-do kind of things. But the other day I read somewhere where someone was commenting that she often gets duplicates in her decks. How fun is that? I like when our framework for what’s possible gets expanded in such interesting ways.
such awesome insights about inspiration and following your own path and work style! and speaking of awesome, i’m totally loving your ICADs! i think the slinky miiiiiight be my favorite, but really it’s impossible to choose, so i’m just gonna love all of them! ♥
LOL – I love equal opportunity loving Lauren!
Hi Deborah…great post again! I have learned to work at my own pace and not worry about getting ahead or behind…maybe that comes with age? All of your cards are great! The triangles one is my pick this week!
I’ll definitely take all the wisdom that comes with aging! And may we always be masters at perfect pacing Mary.
Wonderful art work!
Thanks Kelly. Glad you stopped by.
I love when that kind of synchronicity happens! I think the universe was trying to tell you something. 🙂
Absolutely Naomi – I have no doubt.
Definitely keep going on your project. You have a different and unique take on your inspiration that no one else will! We all draw our inspiration from the same Universal Energies, but that is what is so cool about it…no two people will create that inspiration in the same way. Your flavor is unique to Deborah…and beautiful as well! XO
Thanks for your kind words Belinda.