Every industry has its busy time. For artists, that time is now: October, November and December. Every week and weekend is a blur of markets and festivals. Instead of doing one or two days a week of active in person selling, I am averaging four.
My off days are spent working on custom orders (the perfect holiday gift - wink, wink, nudge, nudge, order yours now) or being actively engaged in market and festival prep, mounting prints and canvases for selling days.
I also try to make time to spend with my children (it is holiday time and I am their only parent). All we have are each other and I need to provide for more than just their physical comfort.
During these weeks, I find myself overwhelmed, stressed and prone to anxiety. I try to keep my focus on one activity; one day at a time, knowing it will pass and I will have the long quiet of January to start on new work and new projects (have I mentioned I've a yearning to play with bones and macrame?)
Somehow I forget that the best antidote to my stress is to just stop for a few hours or for even a whole day. I forget to take that time for myself.
I think we all do.
So let's all try to schedule that during the upcoming weeks of holiday madness.
Let's all take some time to play.
I spent my play time this past weekend at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival. It was a wonderful antidote to a couple of crazy weeks. If you've never been or haven't been in a while, I heartily recommend it.