Percentages

Back when I was agonizing over what seemed a necessary step - forsaking my traditional background and work for contemporary and art quilts - a friend suggested that I didn't need to choose between the two. Rather, she recommended I spend 75% of my time on that genre I felt would best advance my overall goals and 25% of my time on the other. She gathered that not only did I get more satisfaction now from the art quilts, I had a better chance of making some money off my efforts in that genre. On the other hand, I had not totally lost my interest in traditional quilting and its history, still enjoyed the occasional foray into that arena, so there was no point in totally forsaking it.

As I've said before, I tend to be an "all or nothing" person, so this was a new concept for me. While I never really figured out how to put it into practice, just the thought of it helped lighten the burden I was feeling when I realized there just wasn't time or even desire to continue doing both, especially if I expected my art quilting to improve to a more professional level.

I was thinking about this again today as I spent some time updating my tech journal. I've suddenly broken through my reluctance to get back in the studio. I want to work without watching the clock again. I want to ignore the non-art things that have to be attended to. The question keeps presenting itself - how does one allocate the time between what we want to do and what we have to do. I want to sew and design and experiment and play. I want/have to keep records. I want and need to read, observe, soak in all kinds of things which enrich my imagination and lend inspiration and knowledge. I have to take care of the mundane housekeeping chores that anyone must - pay my bills, grocery shop, clean the house. Forever the balancing act.

Perhaps I need to sit down and think percentages.