Follow the Leader: 1/25
From the journal January 2025:
Today, I find myself reflecting on the beautiful messiness of my creative practice. It’s a dance of discovery, isn't it? If there’s something I’m doing that feels elusive—the why of it all—I remind myself that it’s perfectly okay to not have all the answers. Sometimes, I just need to keep going, to trust the process, because creativity is never a straight line. It’s a winding road, and that’s where the magic happens.
I’ve learned that development can take years, and that’s part of the journey. There are moments when I feel like I’m moving forward, the excitement of an idea blossoming into a full-blown collection of paintings. But just as often, I find myself circling back, retracing steps, or standing still in the thick of uncertainty, and that’s when I have to remind myself: this is all part of the process.
Creativity is a complex and layered experience that requires a delicate balance of connectivity and distance. I want to be deeply connected to my ideas, to let them flow through me with raw honesty and fervor. But at the same time, I need to maintain a certain distance, a healthy perspective that allows me to step back and see my work for what it is—without the weight of preciousness that can sometimes suffocate the creative spirit.
It’s a fine line to walk, this act of creation. I want to pour myself into my art, but I also want to recognize that no piece is the end-all-be-all of my journey. Each stroke, each layer, each decision is part of a larger narrative, one that is still unfolding. And so, I embrace the uncertainty, the imperfection, and the glorious unpredictability of it all. I remind myself that creativity doesn’t conform to a tidy timeline. It ebbs and flows, it twists and turns, and sometimes it takes me to places I never expected to go. I am learning to trust in that journey, to hold space for the questions, and to celebrate the revelations, however small they may seem. I must honor the process, and learn to embrace the layers of discovery yet to come. I am an artist in this vast, unpredictable landscape, and I am ready to see where it leads me next.
