WHAT WE CARRY WITH US
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What if our past art practice is quietly shaping the work we’re making now?
Recently, I took some time to reflect on my work—both past and present. Looking back reveals the threads of connection that run through my work, helping me gain clarity around my choices and intentions for what I’m creating now.
We often tend to dismiss our past work and focus only on what we’re currently making. But there can be tremendous value in revisiting older pieces and asking ourselves a few key questions. I often pull out work I’ve tucked away and hang it beside my current pieces in progress, noticing what they might reveal to me.
As we make our art, we’re always planting seeds for future work. Like most seeds, they haven’t yet germinated—they only hint at a future unfolding, the outcome of which remains uncertain. Still, the untapped potential is there, waiting.
When we look back at our work through the lens of curiosity, we can discover what’s there for us. It might arrive as a clear realization or an intuitive knowing—a felt sense or quality we’re connecting with but can’t quite define. Clarity comes as we explore the potential of that seed, allowing it to take root in our current work.
Our task, then, is to carry forward a seed from that past work and weave it into our present expression. We do this by integrating the new insights while staying anchored to our current intentions. Through this process, we expand our voice and visual language, exploring the new territory that opens before us.
When we revisit older work, we’re given a chance to see our artistic voice with greater clarity. It’s as if a part of our voice was captured in an earlier form—waiting, patient—until the time came for it to emerge more fully.
The elements and qualities we’ve carried forward as we’ve evolved are striking acknowledgments of the authenticity of that voice. And the seeds we discover become invitations—if we can set aside judgment and stay curious.
What is your relationship with your older work? What do you notice or feel when you look at it?
Can you consider it for what it carries, and how those qualities show up in your current practice?
What might you need to shift or cultivate within yourself to truly see that?
What seeds do you notice in your earlier work—and how might you bring them into what you’re making now?
This short version blog post is a part of my Mindset Moment series, an accompanying edition to my bi-monthly blog post. My intention for these Mindset Moments is to speak to some of the common challenges artists face with their creative work, and how a mindset shift can make a difference.
They are short reads, with a suggestion or writing prompt that you can work with…as well as an invitation to join in the conversation, sharing your experience and insights.
Join the conversation by leaving a comment under this blog post, or on my social media posts. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, wherever you find me.
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