Care for the Artist's Tools

The most important tool an artist has is his or her body! Any other tool used by an artist is dependant on artistic senses, as well as coordinated bones, tendons, and muscles. Almost any object can become an artistic tool used to communicate the artist's message.

Lose a brush, then use a pencil. Lose the pencil then use an interesting wood fragment. Lose everything you have then use the mud you are left wallowing in.

No body though, no art.

Today Lady Artisan took care of her body. Bending over this week's project resulted in knotted back muscles and pain. So off for a massage Lady Artisan went. Then, before bed, a long soak in a hot tub finished the healing process.

Prevention though would have been wise. Lady Artisan asks you to please take care of your artist back and set up projects so that your back is aligned correctly. It is better to redo one's set up or to purchase/find the right tables and chairs so that you can work without bringing injury into your life. Lady Artisan's back testifies that this is true. A project that was believed would take a day took a week. It is a wise artist that never assumes the poor body posture tolerated for creative purpose will be short lived. Lady Artisan is a wiser artist now. Until the next project comes along that she assumes will take only an hour or a day. It is so easy to be in a hurry and decide that this project will not do that much harm. Try not be like Lady Artisan and treat your back with contempt. Your back will not be silent if you mistreat it as Lady Artisan did hers.