Wabi-Sabi = The Art of Change + Imperfection
We started writing about inspiration but got lost in a loop of "what-if" statements.
So we decided to move onto "if-then" statements instead.
Frankly, most of us don't struggle with the inspiration part of the process.
If anything we have too many ideas. Too much inspiration.
It's the perspiration part that's the challenge. For us anyway. Maybe you too?
Starting new projects is faily easy. Following through with them usually isn't.
So on this not-too-manic (so far) Monday, we've decided to focus on reframing our approach to change, imperfection, and simplicity. With help from the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi.
Let's use our WordPress blog as an example:
We started this blog in April 2023, not long after we opened for business.
We stopped posting almost immediately. Then we started/stopped repeatedly.
Eventually, we had over 150 posts and 5000 uploaded images.
With little to no consistency.
Not that a blog needs to be anything but what it is, we eventually decided to use ours (now with newsletter functionality) to showcase our art as well as spotlight other things that inspire us and we are passionate about:
Like LGBTQIA History and Pride Celebrations.
Like Museums. Like Quotes.
So that change/focus helped us make the decision to remove many older images, pages, and posts. To make room for more of what we want to be making, that removal included removing thousands of files from WordPress.com. We've still got a few more to do. One byte at a time.
Luckily, the process is fairly easy and quick. But what a mess we artists can make! Since digital messes are usually hidden, many of us have developed bad habits in the digital hygiene and file management areas. The same goes for our social media accounts and irl offices and studios.
Even if our creative processes are messy, we can choose to add a clean-up step for our own sanity.
Here are a few other things that are helping us apply Wabi-Sabi principles to our daily lives:
Embrace Change + Fluidity
Bless This Mess...And Then Organize
Inspiration + Perspiration = Balance
As very human, very queer creatives, we like to challenge preconceived notions. And yet the notion of perfection is one we're still working to challenge in ourselves. This is why the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in the imperfect, resonates strongly with us.
We're just starting the process of adapting to this philosophy. But we continue to celebrate change, chaos, and creativity.
We see this as an opportunity to grow as both artists and human beings. We hope you'll be inspired to find whatever approach works for your life and livelihood.For these artists, the process of change is not an obstacle but a vibrant and essential part of their artistic odyssey.
Thanks for reading!
Clint
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