decisions for the long term

...And there it is! Exhaustion has set in. I've been riding the wave of creativity and the raw energetic high that comes with it for a couple months now and as a result I've managed to be tremendously productive! This year has already seen substantial growth on the blog and instagram, an all new portfolio of tattoo work, new illustrations and prints, two print giveaways, AND the full year of travel dates already set! The old me would at this moment transition from creative high directly into an abusive relationship with production high and ignoring all sign of fatigue, sleep depravation, and malnutrition I would continue to push myself to finish/start more projects because well "Now I've got a deadline! The Detroit Show is just around the corner!" and I would continue this way until my shoulder ached and my hand hurt to the point of loss of grip and stability....
Now, however I'm making a big effort to listen to my body a bit more: to accept that it's okay to be tired and to rest. The other big thing in times like this is to view these creative lulls as opportunities to step away from all my various projects and live life. As artists we often get comfortable in our methods and routines. We shut ourselves away from the world in our studios and homes and we consume ourselves with work because it's what we love. The problem though is that we forget to be in the world and we lose the ability to relate to it. Art can only be complete when it's viewed by someone else, so if we never get out and live life then we lose touch with the humanity that we need to appeal to most. All that said, I'm gonna lay low for the next couple weeks: at least through Detroit. At the end of the day there may be a couple things that don't get done and some ideas will have to be on hold for another time, and that's okay. I can come back to ongoing work with fresh eyes, a healthy body, and happiness about a life well lived and that is being truly productive!