I first wrote this reminder to myself in January of 2020. I was feeling really stuck and disappointed in my art journey & my journal entry that day was part encouragement and part prayer. However, I ended it with this reminder: “keep making good work”. It honestly felt like a promise I could keep to myself and something within my control. Regardless of anything else, I can keep making things that I love. To me, “good work” doesn’t always equal a well-liked painting. It’s whatever producing the best and truest work looks like for me whenever I’m making. Sometimes that’s a colorful canvas and other times it’s a thank you note to a friend.
From that point on, this has become somewhat of a mantra for me that I return to often. I’ll say it under my breath when a piece isn’t working, write it on a sticky note when I’m having a hard time staying the course, and repeat it over and over again in my mind.
So much has clicked about my art practice and creative process over the course of creating these latest pieces of work and I’ve found how central the art of remembering is.
“It's easy for me to forget to get milk at the store, to breathe deeply in a stretch, and how marvelous and mysterious it truly is to be alive. But it doesn't take much for me to remember -- songs, sunbeams, scripture, and stars always bring me right back.”
In my sketchbook, I often write notes of encouragement to myself -- just little journal-like entries here and there scattered in between to do lists, ideas, and color pairings. I typically sign them, "keep making good work". This phrase does two things in my mind -- first, it reminds me to keep working and second, affirms what I'm making is "good" or worthy. And then one day, I had the thought to apply this reminder to myself too - and that's where this phrase came to life: "remember that you are a good work too". After all, we’re each wonderfully made works in progress.
When I find a song that I love, I play it over and over and over again. It eventually eases its way into a normal rotation, but at first, it's all or nothing. It seems the same has happened with this phrase - hence, why it’s scribbled on 15+ pieces of art (and likely more to come!). I hope this phrase falls softly on your ears and that you too might join me in repeating it. All the while remembering that you are a good work too.
all my love,
Katie