0 comment Friday, June 6, 2014 | admin
Crossposted to "In Lon'Aite"
I have been unable to paint for several weeks now; writing hasn't been much easier though I've managed to blog only by writing a paragraph and coming back to it, then again, and again. Some blogs take the whole day to write but it keeps me writing, even when the creative well has been a bit dry lately.
The not being able to draw or paint wasn't helping as I tend to get a lot of ideas for work through sketching something random, making a story to go along with it in my head, then sitting down and writing it out. This has been flagging due to pain my hands and the haiku painting was becoming shorter and shorter till it wasn't even worth breaking the paints out. Not on.
It's no good trying to appeal to the social services for this sort of stuff; they only cover the bare minimum of essentials, and ironically keeping me working is not one of those things. Go figure. The usual solution is they give you a booklet of aids which are usually extortionately expensive and you are expected to buy these yourself somehow.
No chance of that, so I appealed to the Twitterverse - O unlikely place! - to see if fellow creative folks had any ideas on how to combat the problem, and an ingenious person suggested pipefoam; cutting it down and putting it round implements eases the joints as it gives you something bigger to grip. Tennis balls with a hole bored through works just as well apparently. I just happened to have some of the stuff as I used it to insulate some of the outbuilding piping as well as to line some sharp edges round the house when child was a bit less aware of them when we first moved here, and I was able to cut some of this down and wrap it round a few of my graphites.
Can I just say I am OVER THE MOON about this solution? It's so stupidly simple and yet it works a treat; my hands don't cramp, I have better control over the pencil, and I can even put it round my paintbrushes. It's loads more comfortable for me than what I was doing, and I'm so chuffed! Can't wait to get back into it this weekend as I intend on sitting on the daybed and painting, sketching and writing for two days if I can.
The change in my hands is something I've constantly had to combat over the past year and at least now I know why it's happening and will hopefully get treatment for it (it's not "just pain" - hurrah, I'm not going mad and dreaming it up). I was thinking recently that one of my favourite walking sticks which I've had for ages and absolutely love has fallen out of use for one particular reason: the ball on the top has made my hand cramp something terrible. But I LOVE this cane; as my friends say it screams voodoo priestess (and it jolly well should, too!) and my own sense of diva-dramatic loves carrying this around. I love the art of it, the carving and the beauty of it - I found it in a antique shop in a country where women don't tend to come as tall as I do and it is the perfect, perfect height, something which was such a surprise at the time I knew it was mine.
Yet I haven't been able to use it as my hands can't grasp the head of the cane without pain. I had to purchase another cane instead and this one has been languishing in a corner. It occurred to me however that what I need to do is find a woodcarver or something experienced in carving and woodworking to take the top of the cane off and fit something a bit more "hand-friendly" onto this - but to do it in such a way that it blends into the current work. I'm not really sure how that would be done, do be truthful - I think this is the sort of thing I'd leave to the artist. Just have to find one - I can trade with some ritual kyphi!
I'm facing new challenges, true, and it's not really all that fun, granted; however if I can keep painting and creating without having to give up yet AGAIN on working due to a disability issue, I will be most pleased.
In other news today, we had a lovely visit from a friend who gave my son someone to play with and me a chance to laze on outdoor daybed and do not much in particular. This was good news as yesterday was a Tramadol-day painwise; something I dare not take when sproggo is in the house as the meds are just way too strong and turn me into an utter zombie. But yesterday they played Star Wars monopoly and car racing games and played with bubbles and ran back and forth in water from the hose together and she wore him out good and proper! It's been a lovely break for child and as it comes to a close I'm grateful that mates of mine came out of the woodwork to give me a break now and again.
Today I'm off outside to read as child is up on his computer. Later on we'll have a BBQ and I have to prepare the chicken for marinating.
It's a good day.
I have been unable to paint for several weeks now; writing hasn't been much easier though I've managed to blog only by writing a paragraph and coming back to it, then again, and again. Some blogs take the whole day to write but it keeps me writing, even when the creative well has been a bit dry lately.
The not being able to draw or paint wasn't helping as I tend to get a lot of ideas for work through sketching something random, making a story to go along with it in my head, then sitting down and writing it out. This has been flagging due to pain my hands and the haiku painting was becoming shorter and shorter till it wasn't even worth breaking the paints out. Not on.
It's no good trying to appeal to the social services for this sort of stuff; they only cover the bare minimum of essentials, and ironically keeping me working is not one of those things. Go figure. The usual solution is they give you a booklet of aids which are usually extortionately expensive and you are expected to buy these yourself somehow.
No chance of that, so I appealed to the Twitterverse - O unlikely place! - to see if fellow creative folks had any ideas on how to combat the problem, and an ingenious person suggested pipefoam; cutting it down and putting it round implements eases the joints as it gives you something bigger to grip. Tennis balls with a hole bored through works just as well apparently. I just happened to have some of the stuff as I used it to insulate some of the outbuilding piping as well as to line some sharp edges round the house when child was a bit less aware of them when we first moved here, and I was able to cut some of this down and wrap it round a few of my graphites.
Can I just say I am OVER THE MOON about this solution? It's so stupidly simple and yet it works a treat; my hands don't cramp, I have better control over the pencil, and I can even put it round my paintbrushes. It's loads more comfortable for me than what I was doing, and I'm so chuffed! Can't wait to get back into it this weekend as I intend on sitting on the daybed and painting, sketching and writing for two days if I can.
The change in my hands is something I've constantly had to combat over the past year and at least now I know why it's happening and will hopefully get treatment for it (it's not "just pain" - hurrah, I'm not going mad and dreaming it up). I was thinking recently that one of my favourite walking sticks which I've had for ages and absolutely love has fallen out of use for one particular reason: the ball on the top has made my hand cramp something terrible. But I LOVE this cane; as my friends say it screams voodoo priestess (and it jolly well should, too!) and my own sense of diva-dramatic loves carrying this around. I love the art of it, the carving and the beauty of it - I found it in a antique shop in a country where women don't tend to come as tall as I do and it is the perfect, perfect height, something which was such a surprise at the time I knew it was mine.
Yet I haven't been able to use it as my hands can't grasp the head of the cane without pain. I had to purchase another cane instead and this one has been languishing in a corner. It occurred to me however that what I need to do is find a woodcarver or something experienced in carving and woodworking to take the top of the cane off and fit something a bit more "hand-friendly" onto this - but to do it in such a way that it blends into the current work. I'm not really sure how that would be done, do be truthful - I think this is the sort of thing I'd leave to the artist. Just have to find one - I can trade with some ritual kyphi!
I'm facing new challenges, true, and it's not really all that fun, granted; however if I can keep painting and creating without having to give up yet AGAIN on working due to a disability issue, I will be most pleased.
In other news today, we had a lovely visit from a friend who gave my son someone to play with and me a chance to laze on outdoor daybed and do not much in particular. This was good news as yesterday was a Tramadol-day painwise; something I dare not take when sproggo is in the house as the meds are just way too strong and turn me into an utter zombie. But yesterday they played Star Wars monopoly and car racing games and played with bubbles and ran back and forth in water from the hose together and she wore him out good and proper! It's been a lovely break for child and as it comes to a close I'm grateful that mates of mine came out of the woodwork to give me a break now and again.
Today I'm off outside to read as child is up on his computer. Later on we'll have a BBQ and I have to prepare the chicken for marinating.
It's a good day.
Labels: Good Life, Languishment