Answer to Dan's questions re: art supplies

[Morgaine Swann]

Dan: Can you imagine a point where you have all the supplies you need? What does that look like? It looks amazing. I have all the perfect storage set up and have pretty much one of everything from the catalogs I use, with plenty of boards, paper, etc. and full ranges (within the colors that I use) of colors. Everything is neat and in order, unlike my areas now. It feels amazing to know I can do as much as I want and still have plenty of stuff left for later. Dan: What would happen if you were told you couldn't get any new supplies for 5 years and had to be creative with what you have already? How soon would you get on with creating? That would stop me completely. I'd be afraid I'd run out of something so I'd never use anything. Silly, I know, but I'll actually let things spoil before I'll use them up. I'm always afraid of not having enough. I've always been that way a bit, but I got sick about 10 years ago and eventually lost most of what I had - furniture, my independence, etc. - and I haven't gotten over that. It made the problem much worse. I still mourn things that were thrown away or given away against my will. Then there's the fear that everything I do will be burned or destroyed by my family. I'm trying to convince myself to use that as motivation. I keep telling myself the more things I sell, the more likely something is to survive. I also just found out from my art teacher that there's a program in this area where people donate art to the local schools and such, so I'm wanting to do something good enough for that.

[Dan Goodwin]

Morgaine, that sounds great, and a valuable reason for you to create. How does that fit in with having lots of supplies?

[Morgaine Swann]

Hi, Dan-

It makes me feel "real." I don't know if that makes any sense, but I live in my head a lot and creating gets me out of my head and into my hands or picture or whatever I'm doing.

[Dan Goodwin]

Morgaine, irrelevant of all the supplies you have, all the physical "stuff", what does creating give you that nothing else can? How does it make you feel. what does it do for you?

Dan.

[Anne Westlund]

Morgaine,

I have all the paper, notebooks, folders, pens, and a computer. I have everything I need to write. That doesn't mean I'll write however. :) It does give me a feeling of abundance though, knowing I won't run out of paper. Can you splurge one one thing, like a good brush, or buy a lot of something cheap, like card stock, so you have that feeling of abundance and luxury in your life? I know what it's like to live with nothing, afterwards you tend to hoard and it's hard to get rid of stuff. I just got a craft table and the first thing I did on it was make a collage for the collage group here. Is there something you've always wanted for creating that will make a difference in your life? Maybe you should get it. Sometimes we deny ourselves things, even necessary things, that would make our creative lives easier or more productive. I hope some of this helps.

Anne :)

[Jules]

Wow Morgaine- It makes me sad to think that your family would burn or destroy what you create.
I have experienced this fear of not having enough- of losing everything. Then one day it happened. I lost nearly everything- home, family, job, self-respect. But somehow, to my amazement I was able to gain some spiritual strength and help from the universe. This gave me the hope, determination and means to survive. Soon I was not just merely surviving but was in the flow of life, I had things, I had learned to know the difference between what I really need and what I just want. I also realized that I had walked through and gone beyond this rather large fear and was better for it.
A fear faced is a fear erased. (I do not know if I heard that somewhere before I wrote it or not...)
I think, with the amount of art/ craft materials I have amassed since then would keep me going until I was older that all my teeth. (and dentures are not in my immediate future) Even knowing I could not by anything new I would get right on creating- things have a way of happening...the universe will help me be able to create- especially if i am giving back (like you would be if you donate work to causes) Somehow, something always happens to help me turn negative situations into positive ones.
I saw the swan you posted here- I can positively say you can create something good enough for an art donation program and then some.