The Benefits of an Empty Wall

“I’m in a pitching mood!”  Whenever I declare this, my husband and kids wince a little.  They’ve heard it before on a few occasions.  I have to be careful how I pronounce the words, cause they could be wincing for other reasons…but usually they deduce my meaning fairly quickly.  The piles of stuff on the floor is a tip:  I’m clearing out stuff, pitching things I no longer use or need, bagging it up for Goodwill.  This particular go-around, I bagged up 8 kitchen trash bags of “stuff” and 4 more bags of “trash”:  piles of books, magazines, puzzles, kid toys, clothing, adult clothing, etc.  It took two days!  The end result?  An empty wall.

This was actually the motivator behind my pitching mood.  I wanted to get rid of a large bookshelf (and see the wall behind it).  My studio/sunroom was just chock-a-block STUFF!  Two huge bookcases cluttered with all manner of creative paraphernalia:  paints, brushes, sketchbooks, paper, sewing stuff, stamping stuff, yarn and more yarn.  The STUFF was weighing on me…depleting my energy, clogging the creative arteries so-to-speak.  I find, the older I get, the more I long for open spaces, less brick-a-brack and froo-froo.  Clean painted walls and open areas for breathing space are a much higher priority to me now than having all the STUFF.  Instead of giving  me a freeing sense of  “I can create anything I want because I have all the STUFF”…I actually end up feeling weighed down,  like I’ve had too much dinner, and as if I have no real focus.  I’m too scattered by all the “possibilities” of the STUFF in front of me (and in the closets, and under the beds, and on the shelves, and in the cupboards…seriously, you would not believe all the places I stash STUFF!).  And so I go on a Pitching Holiday. Boy, are they fun!

The actual process of pitching may not be all too riveting, but it’s the sense of freedom and unfetteredness that comes as I drive away from the Goodwill drop-off.  I think I’ve actually lost weight!!  It feels like it anyway.  And then, to see that blank space of painted wall where a huge  STUFFED bookshelf used to be…well, it’s just too beautiful!  I sit and gaze at it, breathing in the clearer air!  And do you know what happened?

I started dreaming of just the perfect painting to hang there!!  De-cluttering produces creativity!!  Who woulda thought? Now I can’t wait to get a big canvas and have at it!  Wheeee!!!

0 thoughts on “The Benefits of an Empty Wall

  1. Raena says:

    Oh, I LOVE pitching! It is probably my next favorite activity to art! In fact, sometimes I think I am in danger of not having anything left to pitch! I do know that lighter feel! Wonderful painting!

  2. Lynn says:

    Oh, I agree that pitching produces creativity. It clears your mind and frees up your imagination. I’ve done a lot of pitching myself this summer.

  3. Deborah says:

    I love, love, love this post! Pitching! I like that! I feel the same way!!! The more stuff I stuff the more leaden I feel, weighted, overwhelmed. I can sense your unfetteredness in the next two paintings of the flowers! OH! Now I want to go pitch stuff, but DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA how much money I continually spent on this stuff! Tell me more! I want to know all about your pitching…how did you decide what to pitch? how did you justify pitching it? How do you keep yourself from buying more? I have too many books, but when I pitch them, I’ve been known several times to buy the same book AGAIN!! A sickness!! Help!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *