Bloomston got an assignment from an art professor to go and make a secret piece. The class was to do it and not tell anyone. They weren’t to turn it in or ever talk about it. Having and keeping the secret was the assignment. Having a secret doesn’t mean going and destroying some public property and then never telling anyone because of the guilt. Guilt is not involved. Having a secret in this context means finding that the “reward is inside us” (pg.70). If you are doing your art to get attention or to post on Facebook, then this spark is for you. Don’t make things because you think they will sell; make things that come from your heart.
I decided at some point that I would create this blog for myself 1) as a chronicle of my quiltmaking work and 2) as tool for practicing my writing. It isn’t a secret since, presumably, you are reading it. While I adore comments and interactions with my readers, if I only wrote the blog for you, I would have stopped a long time ago. I don’t get enough comments to get motivated to keep writing. I do refer back to old posts often enough to make it worth it for me. My blog isn’t a secret, but I have gained the benefit of the secret status because I really do write it for me.
There is something about having a secret project to work on. “Your own creative voice can get a bit clouded by all the other voices you hear from peers and teachers. It can become confusing and difficult to listen to your own voice.” (pg.70). No Instagram comments saying followers “LOVE IT”. Nobody has to get it. Just you.
Journals are often very private. My husband knows I keep one, but he has never read it. He can read them all when I am dead.
Nota bene: we are working through Carrie Bloomston’s book, The Little Spark. Buy it. Support the artist. There is a lot more to each spark than what I am writing and the original chapters will help you. Go buy Carrie Bloomston’s book, so you get the full benefit of her fabulousness! You can see my book review, which is what started this flight of fancy.
You can find the last spark on the blog a few weeks ago.