I have come to the conclusion that every human on the planet is compulsive. All semi-conscious people tend to eat too much or too frequently, shop too much, watch too much TV, have sex too much or with the wrong people, talk on the phone too much, drink too much, smoke too much, do too many recreational drugs and yes even spend too much time on the internet doing God knows what in the name of research.
The past 5 years my annual art goals list has had one common factor:
Spend less time on the computer! Obviously it has not yet happened. In fact this year I succumbed to spending more time on the computer and less time in the studio. What started out as marketing and networking has become compulsion! Addiction sets in when the compulsion to escape becomes the problem rather than the solution! So it was rather timely yesterday that the weekly artists Painters Keys reminder from
Robert Genn addresses this very subject. He speaks to painters but his words apply to artists of any medium.
He says and I quote: “It’s all about procrastination. Hanging …on to a computer, artists will do anything to avoid going to their room and going to work. Fear of failure and fear of success are just two of the issues that lead to escapism. With the quality and variety on the Internet, today’s painters face a hazard like never before. ……….Net Junkies are the new alcoholics. …….there’s help. It’s called NJA. Net Junkies Anonymous knows that artists procrastinate in the name of research. They get hooked. The solution is to make research a process-driven activity. It starts with the easel station. ……. As you think of your needs, put notes beside your easel. Let your work tell you what you need to study. When the time is appropriate, take your list to the machine. Be efficient and cagey. The Internet is a great slave but also a cunning master. You have to go there on your own terms…….. Carry your spiritual awakening to other Net Junkies.(that’s YOU!)
Use the greater power of art itself to restore your sanity.”
OK, this is it, truth serum time! I am not going to wait until January 1st to put this on next year’s list. I am taking back my art life now. But first let me turn on the computer and write this down! But wait, how much should I cut back? Is just an hour a day enough time for me to waste online? OMG. I would be on medication for that. Finally I decided for every hour spent in the studio I get an hour on the PC. I figure once I am back in the zone, I won’t care and won’t count!
The worst part of confessing all this is now I have witnesses….or an online support group?!
The best way to quit a compulsion is in total silence.That is how I quit smoking 27 years ago!
