the artistic process

Why is it that the artistic process is so romantic and organic in conversation?

My artistic process feels like a multi-tasker with a short attention span.  It usually starts with an idea inspired by a conversation.  I will write down the idea in my sketch book and references to the conversation and the person.  I have to do something to capture the idea so that it does not run away, so I sketch and brainstorm… and sketch some more.  Sometimes a new idea will come along and cut in front and the previous idea will have to wait.  By the time I have started knitting the item six times over the piece will start to look like what is in my head.  I continue knitting, re-knitting and stitching.  Sometimes it needs to be made again to capture the idea.

Things have settled down a bit now that most things are in their place (for now).  I can tell that I am feeling more comfortable when I start thinking up new things to knit.  When I get a little lost as to what to create I will often pull our my binder of patters and choose something from there.  That was how I coped last week with not having all of my knitting supplies.  But this week the ideas have been flooding my brain and my knitting needles are on fire!  Creativity for me is like predicting weather in the northwest, not that predictable.

What is your artistic process?