How Do I Keep Working When The World Is Burning?

A good friend of mine wrote this excellent post via Substack (Private View) entitled, "How are artists meant to respond?" - on not knowing how to make art in the face of war and death.

I'm typing my response here because it's more than a few words and I don't really want to over-word her comments section.

It's been a struggle to create given every thing war taking place right now. And with the Election coming up, it has really added some spiky sprinkles to this year so far. Given all this; my photography so far has been going in spurts, sputters and then sluggish to non-existent and swinging back up again. It's been looking like this:

And this...

And even this...

My creative energy has felt like the ball in a pinball machine: As much as I want to try to control where the ball goes, it's near impossible. It's hard to focus sometimes. And, many days it feels pointless to photograph anything - does it even matter? 

After working through the tug-of-war of to create or not create - I still have something to say. And that something may not mean much to anyone else, but it's my reaction through my filter and I'm too distraught to not capture it. Creating is a release. 

Photography is a language and while I don't speak it perfectly and fluently - I'm trying. Sometimes photography is the only way I can communicate effectively. 

My heart breaks a little more every day. I still find moments of laughter and hope and creativity, so I'll do my best to embrace them all when they visit. 

Keep creating (when you can) for those that cannot.