Under the gun

[evaldart]

Once again I have found myself poised to do too much in too little time. I have 5 smallish sculptures (2-3 foot figures) due friday. I have had this comission for a couple months. I'm not really THAT busy. Yet I have have not cut one piece of steel for them - and won't til monday.
I will be condensing, shortcutting, abbreviating, minimizing, step-skipping, and "yessing" myself through it all. But this has worked some times before on far more impossible situations than this and Everyone involved, often myself too, seems as thrilled as they should with the results.
It is not fun, very draining actually, yet the work occurs within a tornado of energized anxiety that has no time for assessing, criticizing, or evaluating, physical thresholds are reached in consecutive late nights but you make it...Is it possible that there is far too much thinking between artmaking operations? What about the week or nights before a one person exhibit?
Bottom line, I have not noticed differences in quality between pieces that were "rushed" and pieces that dragged on and on and its no less rewarding once done.
While I do not enjoy what lies ahead for me next week I also have a problem looking into the eyes of the poor sculptures who are not attached to deadlines that languish incomplete far longer than they should.
How do you feel about work that occurs "under the gun"?

[Merlion]

My own experience is that the mental attitude is important.

Instead of being burdened by feeling the pressure of time, I tried to say to myself, 'what has to be done has to be done'. The former is a negative feeling while the latter is positive.

A negative feeling sometimes blocks creative thinking and in a bad case leads to inaction.

A positive feeling sometimes takes problems as challenges.

[evaldart]

I agree about keeping a good mental attutude, most endavors are agreeably affected by that condition and I am usually a positive person excited and enthusiastic about my days...more and more so as I advance in experience.But, sometimes, for whatever reason, you get in line to face the guy throwing the curveballs (always real tough for me) and the situation becomes distressed. I guess you gotta just dig in, concentrate, swing hard and knock it outta the park anyway. Elevated intensity, though sometimes painful, can yield exciting results.

[Aaron Schroeder]

I feel your pain. I especially dislike getting work done for grand openings. Some deadlines make you feel like there is a gun in the picture. People get stressed out. And then they call, " How's my project coming along ". I find it hard to go from Exalted sculptor to dutiful servant/laborer. At least you're not looking at another lengthy Outdoor railing project with loads of mundane repitition. As for the unfinished sculpture sitting dormant in the studio, mine like to remind me that if I practiced more what I preach then I wouldn't have deadlines and I would'nt have to do commissions. I do agree that work done under the gun can be good and sometimes ( most times ) better that work with out deadlines. Economy of conduct does have it's virtues. The thing that gets me the most is not the stress I feel but the stress on the family. I hate bringing my deadline home. Hopefully you'll find yourself in art zen bliss sooner as opposed to later. Back to the grind literally.

[evaldart]

Monday, Got five heads done today.. . Scrap metal smirks on their faces as I toiled. We got single digit temps comin the next few days just to make sure I don't accidentally enjoy myself.
And since I'm in assembly line mode I'm making a 6th one, I'll sell it later and reward myself with a special treat - It'll make things even more intense and give me something to think about as my body autopilots the undertakings.

[Merlion]

Good show Evaldart.

Think of the gun as the starter gun. Not as a gun pointing at your head. ;)