Creating and Grieving

There's something I've been wanting to chat about. See that bronze sculpture to the right of the fireplace?

Here's a better look:

It's a sculpture that my grandfather made, in his early days of making art. He experimented and practiced and sometimes things turned out a little wonky, but eventually he honed his skills and for a time he even owned his own art gallery in Toronto. I have three other pieces of his work: a small bird on a branch, the striking centaur, and a tumbling gymnast (plus the headboard he made us).

I've been looking at this sculpture a lot, thinking about how much my grandfather practiced his craft.

As a kid, I was so prolific - much to my Mom's chagrin. I churned out drawing after drawing, doodling on anything and everything, including important paperwork. She had to deal with stacks and stacks of messy drawings and wibbly wobbly clay pots. I just loved art and was convinced I'd be a photographer, painter, or interior designer (much to my Dad's chagrin), but somehow I've lost some of that joy. I sometimes find myself overwhelmed - instead of inspired - by the sheer volume of (sometimes kind of disposable) crafts and DIYs that are shared online. Lately I've channeled much of my creativity into "practical" projects, like a pot holder, catnip toy, painted planters and home renovations - money saving projects I can use and feel good about. For some reason, I've felt the need to justify the time and expense of making things but this preoccupation has really done me a disservice.

I could really benefit from some time spent making things just for the sake of making things. I have to admit that the traumatic passing of a relative this spring has been difficult to process and my family is still reeling from the shock. I, myself, have good days and bad days, but I've tried my best power through the bad days and downplay the stress, anxiety, and grief I'm feeling. I spent the first half of September in Toronto, helping to tie up some lose ends, and that re-awakened all kinds of feelings. I left feeling immensely guilty and sad and agitated. Creating things is said to help alleviate stress and anxiety, and is especially recommended to help with the grieving process. So why has a craft and DIY enthusiast like me not jumped at the chance to create things as part of the healing process?

Hopefully this gal will encourage me to recapture some of my childhood zeal for arts and crafts! To make stuff, just because; to try some of the 1000+ projects I've pinned... I'm thinking that a pottery class might be just what the Dr. (that would be me) ordered...