Progress

I had a breakthrough last week that has resulted in a wave of new creative work. It resulted in my being able to finish the Priority Quilt, cut templates for a product, and choose an idea to work on for the Sketchbook Challenge. What happened is that I finally have a schedule worked out that gives me solid time in the studio, as well as time to do all the other necessary things to maintain a business.

The fact that it took me six months from the time I retired from the day job to get to this point made me realize that I needed to learn to live with my altered day-to-day existence before I could make these decisions. It is a reminder of the reasons I have been drawn to the slow-cloth movement. We tend to want everything to happen immediately in our society, but sometimes the best way is to let things move slowly.

This, too, was evident as I was working on the Priority Quilt. Since it is a piece I made with my beloved mother-in-law in mind, I found it quite difficult to work on for too long at a time. The emotional drain was too much. Once I accepted that fact, it became easier to do what I could, as I could, and accept the need to walk away without completing it more quickly.

I am just beginning to explore some of the areas that will make a difference in the scope of my business, as well as the great variety of techniques available to me as an artist. It is my hope that the insights I gained in the last week provide me with new ways to look at the decisions necessary ahead.

Since I want to wait to show the Priority Quilt until after I've made arrangements with AAQI, I don't have that picture for you, but thought you might enjoy this "conversation."

Until next time, I wish you peace and all good.

Knitting & Doodling

I have been busy lately doing more knitting (working on a pair of fingerless mitts for my daughter). They aren't quite finished, since I promised to make mitten covers for her fingertips and thumbs, but thought I would share. The pattern I used was modified from Sue Brady's "Basic Fingerless Mitts." I lengthened the wrist to provide more coverage.

I have also been taking, as I mentioned before, Traci Bautista's "Doodles Unleashed" workshop on Strathmore Online. Strathmore Artist Studio Workshop - Traci Bautista While I am not entirely pleased with the pieces I've done, I have been learning more about different media.

In addition, I am continuing to follow the Sketchbook Challenge, which meshed beautifully, of course, with the workshop, since the theme for the month is "Doodling." Here is what I have done so far.

This was done with acrylics oversprayed on various items, water-soluble oil pastels, markers, white-out pen, and gouache;

and this:

for which I used gouache, oversprayed acrylics, and markers.

I do find it surprising that I tend to end up "seeing" a particular image coming out of my doodles, even though I haven't planned anything. I also find that my patience with paint is not comparable to my patience with fibers. (I was having trouble waiting ten minutes for the acrylics to dry.) The upside, however, is that doing the doodles is giving me ideas for fiber/textile work.

Until next time, I wish you peace and all good.

New Life

I am now, officially, "retired" from the day job. This last month has been extremely hectic, between making sure everything was done at work and preparing for the youngest's graduation party. (For some reason, I scheduled that for the day after I "retired." Crazy!) Fortunately, I now have an opportunity to do some things I have been wanting to do for years.

I did take the time before the end of last month to do a quick set of sketches for the Sketchbook Challenge.The theme for the month was "Pathways," which put me in mind of those opening up to me. Here is the final piece.

Colored pencil, micro pen, computer manipulation.

My daughter has already asked me to consider joining her at a show in September, and we are finally trying to schedule time with one of my brothers, who is also an artist, to finish work on a children's book that has been in limbo for years. Since those are only two of the many projects I have up in the air right now, I don't expect my life to be quiet for long. I do hope to be able to build a rhythm into my days -- or at least my weeks!

For now, wishing you peace and all good.

Out on a Limb

I found I couldn't post my sketches for the Sketchbook Challenge this month. They all deal with patterns I am developing, so I'm not ready to show them to the world. It is my move "out on a limb," and taking chances. I can give you a little glimpse of some possible fabrics for the prototypes, though I apologize for the quality of the photo. It doesn't do the fabrics justice.

On a sadder note, the tragedies of this last week across the southern states have me considering how I best can help those who have been affected. Some of the possibilities include  The American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Feeding America. Most of the housing down there does not provide the type of shelter needed for protection from the monster tornado that hit Tuscaloosa. In addition, at least two of the other tornadoes have been classified as F5's, the worst on the scale, with winds of 200+ mph. I hope you will consider how you might be able to help, too.

Finally, I want to share an astounding sighting I had last weekend in my yard. It appears that a bird has built a nest under a pile of branches my husband stacked next to our crab apple tree. I heard a bird making a fuss and looked out the window to see a hawk attempting to figure out how to get to the nest. It was quite a spectacular sight.

I wish you good weather, interesting challenges, and the beauty of nature.

Changes

The computer is back up and running, but we had to switch to the new Windows. It has created some problems for me since blogger hasn't caught up to it, yet. I am hopeful that I will be able to post normally, however. So, here is an update on what has happened in the last three weeks.

First and foremost, our grandbabies' daddy has accepted a new job. They are in the process of driving cross-country to their new home.It is a wonderful opportunity for him in an area of the country where he has wanted to live for years. It has left those of us still here rather bereft, but extremely grateful for the Internet. Thankfully, before they started their journey, we were able to spend a day with them and the babies were in good moods. I had, also, completed the quilts. So, the babies were able to get those to take with them. My intention is that they be able to use them as drag-along/comfort blankets.

As I mentioned before, my younger son (and youngest child) will be graduating from college next month, which leaves me hoping he is able to find a job in his field and begin his adult life. In the meantime, I am getting closer to retirement from my day job and beginning to wear the retiree's grin. There are so many things I want to be able to do. We'll see how many of them I actually get to after I have an additional 45 hours a week.

I have been going through my stack of UFO's, trying to decide what I still have an interest in completing. I've also been contemplating directions for my art, writing, and possible volunteer work. At the same time, I haven't forgotten the Sketchbook Challenge. Ideas percolate in the back of my mind, but I haven't yet put anything together for this month's prompt.

It appears I cannot add any images to my post this time. As with the other difficulties I have been having, I hope this is resolved, soon.

Until next time, I wish you peace and all good.

Spilling Over

This month's prompt for the The Sketchbook Challenge is "Spilling Over." It took me a while to decide on a direction to take. I have been doing a lot of portrait sketching lately, trying to improve my technique and attain better images. In the end, I decided to sketch a page full of baby faces. I call it "Baby Love."

A baby's face is definitely different from an adult's. The proportions are different, primarily because a baby's hairline generally appears to be much higher. In addition, the nose is, obviously, shorter and wider in comparison. I also found I had to much more careful about the shape of the eyes, as the shape we normally think of is too narrow on the outside.

The sketches also proved good practice in capturing the foreshortening of a body and indicating patterns without color. Altogether, I am pleased with the piece and hope you enjoy it, too.

I'm off to work on finishing my grandson's quilt, so that I can give it back to him next week. Until next time, wishing you peace and all good.

Learning New Things

I finished the pages for the Visual Journaling Workshop today. Last week, I showed you week 2. Here are week 3 and week 4.

As I mentioned last week, the pages are also my interpretation of "Highly Prized" for the Sketchbook Challenge. While I am not terribly satisfied with the piece, working on it did give me more experience with watercolor paper, gesso, charcoal pencil, oil pastels, watercolor brush pens, gel pen, ephemera, what Pam Carriker calls "re-usables," and recycling art. It also taught me something about my process and what I do and do not enjoy.

I hope that this exercise will help me to move forward with work in my journals/sketchbooks. It has given me a bit more confidence to attempt new things in that direction. I hope that it might inspire some of you to try new things.

Until next time, may you experience peace and all good.

Making Art

We are into week three of the Visual Journaling workshop with Pam Carriker. Pam is having us recycle our artwork. I am making slow progress, but combining it with the Sketchbook Challenge. The theme for January in that is Highly Prized. I started with a colored pencil sketch I had made of my children dressed up for Halloween when they were little. I copied the drawing (which I had to go over with my pencils first, as it was too light), glued it to 140# watercolor paper, and got part of the way through her instructions for week two. So far, I have used gesso, charcoal pencil, oil pastels, and watercolor brush pens. It is forcing me to be more mindful of techniques and the order in which I use the different media. Here is a look at the current status of the piece.

This is proving to be a great way to stretch myself out of my comfort zone and try new (to me) techniques.

While I am at it, I have to share a link to information about an exhibit my daughter is having: Urban Abstractions. As I have mentioned before, she is an artist in her own right. After you've checked on the exhibit, take a look around her website. She works in a variety of media and has some beautiful pieces.

I hope that you are enjoying new things, stretching out of your comfort zone, and living life to the fullest. Until next time, may you experience peace and all good.

Best Laid Plans

As often happens, our best laid plans get sidetracked or changed in ways we don't expect. I have been working on my sketchbook, but not as often as I'd hoped. In addition, I'm learning lots of new things about the Internet and programs like Flickr, some have surprised and frustrated me. However, I am trying to roll with it and count it as a learning experience.

One very pleasant experience that came out of my setting up the blog and letting friends and relatives know is that a relative send me pictures of a quilt my Grandmother Barbara made. It appears to be from the 1930's and may have been a kit, but it was a welcome surprise. In addition, of course, I get to share them with you.

Note the embroidered kitty faces at the centers of the flowers.

The quilt has been used by eight babies, and my relative tells me it is "almost 70 years old." It amazes me how well it has weathered the use and the years.

May you have pleasant surprises in your life and experience peace and all good.

New Year - New Experiences

Happy New Year to everyone!

For me, today marks the beginning of the Sketchbook Challenge and an online Visual Journaling Workshop with Pam Carriker. Ideas are percolating and bubbling over! I expect it will be a fun learning experience and provide me with lots of new material for my artwork. I hope that your new year provides many happy new experiences and lots of joy!

I invite you to:

Treasure the Little Things!

Until next time, may you experience peace and all good.

Plans for a New Year

The new year is almost upon us. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this year will bring a number of changes. One significant change is that, in July, I will be "retiring" from my current day job. It is my plan to expand my artistic pursuits and build The Butterfly Bush business. I also plan to do more social justice work and writing, again. All quite exciting and scary. I am reminded of dreams I used to have about stepping off tall buildings, with the accompanying fear, only to find I could fly. I hope you will continue to check in with me to see my progress, as well as give me feedback on it.


The babies and their parents saw the quilts (still in process) at our family Christmas celebration. So, I feel I can share them, now. Mykaela was quite interested in the bright colors of hers, and Kaden was content to be with Mama and take everything in. Obviously, there is still a little work to be done on each of them, but they will get them in time to make them "dragging around blankets."

Mykaela's quilt

Kaden's quilt

Now, too, I will be able to move on to other creative pursuits. I will be spending this week (blessed holiday break time from the day job) in my studio, experimenting with techniques, and getting organized for the new year. On January 1, I will begin participating in the Sketchbook Challenge. (The button for it is on the right.) It looks like a lot of fun, with some super artists leading the way. Check them out.

• Jill Berry
• Sue Bleiweiss
• Laura Cater-Woods
• Jane Davies
• Jamie Fingal
• Judi Hurwitt
• Leslie Tucker Jenison
• Lyric Kinard
• Jane LaFazio
• Kelli Perkins
• Carol Sloan
• Carla Sonheim
• Susan Sorrell
• Melanie Testa
• Diana Trout
• Violette

It seems like the perfect way to charge up the creative juices and explore new techniques. I hope you will check it out and join in.

Finally, I plan to post more often. Unfortunately, the silence of the last few weeks was unavoidable, but I am planning to post once a week in the new year.

Until next time, may you experience peace and all good.