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| I heart my art cart! (Magnets are available at my shops). |
I love that my mostly wordless Art Supply Addiction post was among my most popular this year. I guess there are more people than I realized who have trouble saying no to crayons (which we all know leads to harder stuff like paint and glitter).
Seriously, as problems go, art supply addiction is not a bad one to have. I know when I am feeling stuck creatively a new tool or medium can give me a much needed spark. Also, the more supplies I have on hand, the better I am able to serve my muse when she wakes me up with one of her supposedly brilliant ideas at five in the morning. However, I do have some guidelines that I follow to ensure that things don't get out of control.
Here are my top three rules when it comes to art supplies:
1. I must have a place for them or I can't buy them.
If my shelves are crowded and my desk drawers are full, then I obviously don't need any more art supplies for awhile. In fact, that's good motivation to get busy making more art so I can free up some space for more goodies.
2. I must use them, not just keep them.
Paint and brushes are always going to be used sooner or later but when I purchase a new tool or medium I have a rule that I have to spend some time experimenting with it right away. There is no waiting for inspiration or taking a lot of time to research "the proper way" to use something. Inspiration and learning come from doing, not waiting.
3. If I haven't used them in awhile, they need to go.
Several years ago I got into making things with polymer clay. It was fun and I learned a lot from it but ultimately, it wasn't my calling. When I cleaned out my craft closet earlier this year I realized it was time to donate all of my clay tools. Like people, not all art and craft supplies are meant to stay in your life forever. Some just come into your life to teach you something and then move on and that's okay because then you have room for new art supplies! Hurray!
Are you addicted to art supplies too? I would love to hear your tips for dealing with this delightful dilemma.
"Creativity Is Served Here" Photography Stretched Canvas Print by time2see
Check out other Crayons Canvas Prints at zazzle.com
Yep, I can completely relate! Now that I'm teaching more classes & workshops, I can share my supplies with others which has felt great & helped rein in some of the excess.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Lisa. Sharing them is the best way to get rid of extra art supplies. I wish you much continued success and enjoyment with your classes and workshops.
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