I am a twitcher.For those of you that don’t understand I’ll explain.
I love birds because they survive and adapt to their environment.On rare occasions we may be privileged to share a moment in time with them.
This was my weekend sharing captured by my very talented hubby.
Trying to find away to be constructive in March is always a challenge .The usual weather doesn’t help either.We had snow 4 days in the last 8 days-yet the trees are still in bloom and spring seems so near. Actually it officially started yesterday but as ever someone forgot to inform the weather system over the Eastside.
Trying to kick start the creative muse I’ve set my self a wee challenge.A series of personal geographies .Started yesterday with a wee reflection of the snow covered side walk and the street below.6×4 to start with but I’m already exploring a bigger form.
The “buttons” were inspired by Nina Perkins tutorial .I adapted them as I have no enamel in my current supplies but that will change very soon.
Well time travels quickly.We have a current exhibit up at A+C supplies in the U district.I’ve seen the first Salmonberry flowers of the year at Ruby Beach.Watched a woodpecker snack on breakfast.Made it back to Bellevue and snow this morning.
That would be Mad March for you.
So why did I join the Fiber Arts class ? To expand my horizons and understand more may be.
No it was to write artists statement and conform to the norms of the “profession”.There is an “about” statement below.Anyone could take the time to read it.Instead we have to reinvent the wheel and discuss the conforms and influences of the Art society in the area.In the prescribed university speak.
For me making art is about exploring creating and enjoying a process.My life has been too full of other things at other times to allow for this constant introspection and conformity.If I choose not to engage then that is my conscious choice.Choice and balance are my keys.
If I’m available where a piece is displayed then ask, but if you don’t truly want to know just explore the object before you and enjoy a moment of quiet wondering.I see things at different times in my pieces and I’m sure others do too.
While I create something there are many dialogues some easier to understand than others that are very complex.Art doesn’t happen in a straight line in paragraphs, punctuation and text.It happens from emotion and finding a place to stop when that moment is expressed.
As you can probably tell I personally don’t value artists statements as a tool.As I see attending the course as a way to expand my tool set I’m currently feeling a little conflicted.My current choice is to continue to engage in a process that I don’t feel comfortable with-such familiar shoes to be wearing.The other option is withdraw from the course.
Time will definitely tell with this conundrum.
So nice to be back in class.We’d had a heads up re our first assignment.50 collages in two weeks but the plus two 14×14 collages was a surprise.I’m up to 37 in the first three days so I’m going to back off a bit to extend the fun.
The key is being organized ,sounds easy but for me it takes focus.I’m used to making book pages and wanted to do an altered page swap this year so have just applied those principles to the task at have.Art quilting experience has helped too.
This is the first batch of 20.
The stack
I am going to be more selective with my choice for the next 13 off to choose the foundation images not just free flow.
I get very little feedback from this blog- something to work on in the New Year I think.So I’ve decided to be brave and create Essex Debs on Facebook.In a way this feels like coming out.Accepting that I value the art I make and a place to share collaborations and projects in a fast and at times dirty manner.
So friends forgive the spam and choose which feed you want to follow.Newbies just send a request.Looking forward to connecting.
So Happy New Year !
It’s over for another year all the pressure, excitement and experiences of one year have roll silently or not so silently into a New Year.
Our family tradition has always been to escape the indoors and embrace the outside.For us that’s a beach.We had heard that there are Arctic Snowy Owls in the area and headed out yesterday to explore in the hope of seeing one.
We hiked along a very windswept shore and popped our heads above the grass horizon.There sat on the ground a big white owl .After seeing the barred owl earlier in the year there was no question this was a wol.There were 5 owls in total over a 200ft square area-a parliament of owls.
We spent a very windy but wonderful hour watching the owls until the light finally faded and it was time to head back.
In celebration of these beautiful birds and the new year I created this small nest.
I think maybe I should share the DC book so here goes.
Cover in process
Accordion fold out in lower half of construction.Holds all the paper work from the trip
Cute edge detail
I get to play guilt free again !
So every time I switch on to Google there’s a to do list for the last three months its suggested that I finish the Washington DC and Africa books.
Today i finished the DC book.I’d already prepped a complex accordion fold but finished it of with a wrap that holds the sketch journal which I took with us.I needed to debulk the spare pages so made the teen a small black sketch book for his rucksack.The very cool clothespegs/pins were a crafty christmas gift from Norway-thanks E they are awesome
Told you that the deadly sins was a place to play.Yesterday I just played with tissue paper and one of my favorite mediums-crayola metallic and glitter crayons.This an the head template was a little light muse.
