The Timeline Of An Art Piece : Let Yourself Out

Does art happen overnight? Sometimes, but not likely. Art is the culmination of months of material gathering, hours of creation time, and a lifetime of the artist's experiences and inspiration.

So, you know that feeling when you have a word on the tip of your tongue and can't get it out? Yeah, I experienced that creatively this week. I felt like I had some inspiration and all the pieces but I just couldn't put them together. It's all very manic. So, here is how it came together and the timeline of this piece.

Well, now that I put it in a timeline, it looks so planned and organized. Let me assure you it is anything but. It's mostly random acts sprinkled with a lot of self doubt.

• First, along time ago in a galaxy far far away, we start with a teenage girl. Angst, one of the great creative motivators.
• Then I found some skeleton keys at an antique store. Who doesn't like skeleton keys? Am I right or am I right? I'll take them.
• Listening to my dance cardio Pandora station doing some cleaning, doing some dancing, liking "Until the End" by Dirty South. Lyrics "But don't you see you're holding all the keys to all the dungeons let yourself out just let you be found" stand out because I think most people are their own worst enemy and are the only ones holding themselves back.
• Found a new junk store on Craigslist. Love it! Find some vintage door knob backers which I love because they are metal and rusty.
• Had been wanting to go to this salvage place for a year or so. No time like the present! Got some nice sun baked barn wood.
• Found another new junk place on Craigslist. The best junk places are always in old buildings that could be considered a little scary, much to my better half's chagrin. Little frame could work in an art collage, I'll pick it up.
• Bought a collection of creepy dolls at my first auction. Better half is not excited about having them take up residence in our bonus room.
• Better half has a photography project. Why not use said creepy dolls? 
• Listening to Lana Del Ray's "Young and Beautiful" and thinking of how it applies to all my old rusty things. And the answer is yes! I do love you even more. :)

So, this is what ensued...

Whew! That's exhausting just thinking about it. Let Yourself Out could mean a lot of things to a lot of people. To me the piece means that each of us has the keys to all the dungeons that we keep ourselves locked in and it's as simple as taking that key and letting ourselves out. We don't have to wait on someone else to let us out. Someone else isn't keeping us in there. Take that key. Simple is a generous word. It could take some work but this piece is an awesome reminder that YOU can do it! Let yourself out.

Let Yourself Out can be found for sale at Maliasmark on Etsy.