After several months on a blogging hiatus, I've decided it's time to get back on the ol' horse. But what to write about? Up comes the age-old dilemma. What's inspiring to me? And where can I find it?
All I can say, is thank God for the internet. Actually, that statement is questionable, but what I have discovered with sites such as Pinterest (and even Instagram, on occasion), is that they help me get out of a creative rut. A rut that I've been in for several months.
There are plenty of things that strike my fancy. Interior design, fashion, food styling, hand lettering (a new favorite), photography, art, and more, but how does one focus this inspiration enough to channel it into actual production of work? At what point does the inspiration turn into something tangible and real?
I guess that's where I come in...
But what is it that I'm holding back from? Is it the lack of inspiration? Well, no. There's plenty of that to go around. Is it the lack of motivation or discipline? Not really. Could it be that I just don't know where to start, and that all of the inspiration and reference I've gathered over the months has become too overwhelming? Bingo. I'm looking at work that took years to perfect, and I expect my creations to look the same. And that just isn't realistic, or achievable!
Knowing this, then what? What is it that I truly want to project onto the world? What story am I trying to tell here? Why is it that I want to share my thoughts and feelings and creativity with complete strangers?
I think it all boils down to the need to fit in. The need to have a voice, and share the struggles that I face, in hopes of inspiring someone else. Or at least to be heard. To be acknowledged. To be respected as an artist and a person.
That being said, I'm also doing this for me. For an opportunity to open myself up creatively. To express my ideas, my passions, and my art - even though I'm still discovering what those even are.
As a girl who grew up in the suburbs, with horses, I always had an outlet to recharge. I spent a lot of time outside, cleaning stalls, sorting flakes of hay, grooming, and riding. I didn't have time to sit in front of a computer and explore the lives that other people were living. It just wasn't an option. I had to focus on my own agendas. My own dreams. Anything and everything seemed possible. I was incredibly courageous, because I knew myself very well.
As time went on, and the pressures of the world started to take hold, there was a part of me that remained unshakable: my ability to dream. Nowadays, my horse lives several hours away, my boots don't get used quite as much as they used to, and the courage and determination that came from the years of maintaining a ranch have slowly started to fade away. Which is why it's so crucial for me to reconnect with my inner cowgirl. In both a literal and figurative sense.
This month, I'll be moving from the suburbs to more of a urban setting. One way to hold onto that part of my sense of self is to explore it creatively. That's where this blog comes in.
Like getting up early to feed the horses and clean the stalls, I intend to write on a much more consistent basis. I may incorporate some photography or art projects that seem to fit this new brand, but it will mostly be a place where I can come and reconnect with myself.
The Urban Cowgirl.
xo
Sam
