I previously walked around with the close-at-hand excuse that it was important for me as an artist not to work when I didn't feel like working. I heard Dana Frankfort say it at a guest lecture she delivered at MassArt several years ago, and I immediately related. If Dana could say it, so could I.
I don't discredit what Frankfort said, if that is her reality I respect it. I can't help but wonder what she might have said if she were pressed to expand upon that statement, but that'll likely remain a mystery. If I'm going to reiterate it in respects to my own work, it needs to be clarified further.
It is important for me to always be working on something. Even when I don't feel like it. But it is also an integral part of my process to walk away from what I'm working on for periods of time. I allow the work to "simmer" and decide on my next move. But not working on anything at all is not beneficial to my process or progress. Procrastination is inevitable, but I've never finished working for the day (even if I only "worked" on small sketches or messy mixed media blobs in my sketchbook) and said: "Wow, I really didn't enjoy that and don't like the outcome, that was unnecessary!" Never.
Dana Frankfort, "Life," 2010.
Me, "3/100," 2015.