barb dwyer

I've earned a sideline living with art (drawing Illustration)
all of my adult life.

It kept me comfortable with two horses.

When the drinking happened -
the only thing I drew were signs for the bar.
Tournaments.
that kind of thing.

And I lost the horses.

Now four years sober

I am in college
getting a degree to be an art therapist
of sorts.
(nobody's sure where I belong yet)

but will be going for a masters in art.
a double major kind of thing.

anyhoo-
I draw every day almost
either in my journal
or all over my schoolwork....

it's everywhere.

I wouldn't know how not to be a creative person.

And it was a very large hole in my life when I was drinking.

It took almost two years for it to come back though.

I had a lot of healing to do.

Isaiah

Profound!

Also, perhaps reason to think more self-help books should be written by kids.

LaFemme

Genius!

jamdls

For 20 yrs my hobby was interior decorating, re-decorated my own homes numerous times and homes of about 10 friends/acquaintances (doing most all the work myself except for things like tearing down walls/electrical/plumbing) but since I stopped drinking I've completely lost interest in it; For me I think this creative outlet was due to my unhappiness with myself I kept redecorating rooms trying to make myself happy and now that I'm happy I don't feel any need to change anything. I also did some abstract painting during the drinking years that wasn't all that bad but it was born from trauma within me and that trauma/anger/depression is no longer with me so now the couple of times I've attempted any art it's quite dull.

artsoul

Murray - that photo you posted was absolutely beautiful. Truly a work of art in my opinion.

It could also be interpreted in so many unique ways....... Do you name your photos? What would you call this one?

Murray4x5

I'd call it a family snapshot taken with my little digital camera For the serious stuff I use B&W film, a 4x5 wooden field camera, make my own developers and fixers from individual ingredients, and do my own printing, matting, and framing

Murray

LaFemme

You know Murray...I love that you are hardcore about process and technique...I used to stretch my Belgian linen, with copper tacks and prime the surface the old way...my canvases were works of art before I ever started them. I used to get from my professors a lot of advice about how i was making my work too "precious". Pissed me off at the time but now i see their point...Photography is a lot different from painting but maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to Have fun with it and play around a little for the time being...it might help spark the old creative fire for you.

That little snap shot is intriguing...it tells a story...its completely different from your big stuff but maybe that's not a bad thing.

Just sticking my nose in someone else's business, sorry, its sooo much easier than dealing with my own...lol:-)

Murray4x5

Good point!

It always pays to scratch an itch, no matter where it might be located

Murray

bcboy

Hey Murray.

In the same boat as you, lost all my passions that one used to live for. The only passion that did not die was love for my kids. That has become even stronger.

Learning new passions is all that can be done for now and hope that in the future old flames will burn again.

Murray4x5

I'd like to thank everybody for their input on this thread. Knowing this is a shared experience, and that it should resolve itself in about six more months has taken a great weight off of my shoulders!

Murray

Onewithwings

I am an artist, and a bit over 3 months clean and sober. Still searching for my muse! I continue to paint, even if my paintings aren't as spirited as they once were. I know that the only way to rekindle that old flame is to keep at it-- if I put it down I fear I may never pick it back up (so, sort of the opposite of drugs and alcohol!) so I keep going, read a bit-- reading about art business, history, and technique inspire me to create new things. I used to do photography as well (almost a decade ago now, wow, time really does fly!) and sometimes I was inspired, other time, it was all dried up. The best I could do was keep at it, knowing that it would come back eventually. Sometimes just going out to do something out of the norm inspires me-- I do something I wouldn't usually do. I used to think my best ideas came to me drunk/high, but after an honest look, I can see how lame I really was-- I create much better sober, even when I am missing particular 'inspiration'.

Onewithwings

a friend just posted this on FB and I thought it might help. Not that I'm not sure you're a great photographer, just thought these 'tips' were pretty unique and might give you some brainstorming ideas:

Seven Habits That Make Better Photographers – No Camera Needed « Photofocus