Easy Does It

You’ve got to learn to slow down in life, cause man, the things you’ll miss if you don’t…

     I had been reading someone's blog and became inspired by this quote. I know that I've been doing so much recently and I feel like I've been doing nothing. Since all of these natural disasters occurring, I've felt obligated to help out in some way. Just donating a few dollars to a cause isn't enough for me. I want to donate my time, make a difference by doing something bigger than that. Granted I'm good at many things and have a wide range of interests, but there are some drawbacks that go with that also. Yes, I'm good at a lot of things, but there's nothing that I'm absolutely GREAT at. Everyone has their strong points and weak points and I just have my...points.

Our project-Taking a previous image collage and creating our own work

     Being in Europe, I've been working hard and time has just been whizzing by. June is about halfway over and I have no idea what has been even happening these last couple of weeks. Blog entries have been difficult because it's been strenuous to recall the events of the previous days. Everything's beginning to blur together.

     I honestly feel like I'm having a sort of writer's block.. and with this block come an artistic inspiration. So when I can draw, I can't write and when I can write, I can't draw. I just wish I was able to do both right now. One minute I'm undeniably in love with my composition and the next minute I hate it. I go back and think about the symbolism I've added to it and feel better. Then, looking at De Chirico's work, I feel back to normal. Then, the vicious cycle starts over again. I haven't decided whether I like this project or despise it. We were given sheets of pre-made items and had to draw in our own composition and using a creative license, change it to fit who we are.

Working on the drawing study

     The reason I came to Italy was to grow as a person without that crutch of people catering to my every need and trying to grow in a professional sense as an artist. Speaking with my professor, I have the opportunity to come back here next summer. I know I won't have graduated yet and this experience has been so surreal and being able to come back a second time with more preparation and perspective.

     I've also been eating a lot of food: pizza, gelato, pasta, you name it. I was reading on the calorie and sugar comparisons on muffins to other random foods and companies are starting to remove the fat from muffins. Taking the fat out of muffins is just like stealing its soul. Alarmingly, I'm not a huge fan of this idea and neither are a lot of junk food connoisseurs. I was starting to lose weight and now I think I'm gaining it back. I should cut back on this high carbohydrate food consumption but it's just so tasty and convenient that I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon.

More or less finished drawing

     So, I've been toying with the idea of doing a light writing project. I know it will take a lot of time, but I think it will be something I know I can be proud of. But, I can see myself focusing more on this independent project over my actual graded projects so I don't know. Ideas are fluttering in and out of my brain right now with so many different art forms and ideas that it's so incredibly overwhelming. Once again, everything is speeding around in my brain. I've been focused to get this, this, this, and this done at this, this, and this time. All it has been is focusing and sleeping and studio-ing. I haven't truly stopped to appreciate things in about a week. I feel exactly like I would being back in Ames.

So, slow down Danielle, before you start to miss the things happening around you.