So the portrait class that was supposed to start on Thursday was a bust. The one person who signed up for it indicated she'd be interested in private lessons, but after an initial connection I'm not sure if that's going anywhere. I will continue to practice portraits and refine my teaching ideas so we can try to offer the class again in a few months. There is interest in another Mandala class so I'll probably do another one of those in the spring as well. In the mean time I'm going to shift my focus. There seems to be a daily battle between painting, drawing and sewing going on in my head - sort of a subconscious version of rock-paper-scissors - and sewing is winning more often than the others. Largely due to the sheer volume of fabric and other sewing supplies staring me in the face every time I go downstairs, which has more than doubled from my own ample stash since my mom's has been added to the mix, and feel like I need to DO SOMETHING with it besides look at it taking up space on the shelves. Plus, I have made more paintings than I know what do with and should probably figure that out before making more. Since moving here I've already finished 2 quilt tops that were in progress from some time in the past which I rediscovered while unpacking, threw a 3rd one together, and am currently working on a 4th. My long-arm quilting machine / frame has not yet been reassembled since the move, which needs to get done SOON so I can start tackling the growing UFO (unfinished objects, for you non-quilters) pile. I still hope to veer toward more artsy-quilts/fiber art projects in the near future but won't feel right starting something new until I make a reasonable dent in that UFO pile. So off to the basement to sew I go! For now. I know how fickle I can be with creative pursuits so this might not last long.
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Bye bye 2016! And good riddance and don't let the door hit you on the way out - and all the other similarly appropriate cliches. Yes I am one of those people who had a lousy year and is more than ready for new beginnings.
My first full year of year of retirement, which was supposed to be a transition into a more creative life, was instead filled with death, near death, and other unpleasantries. Death: most close to me of course was my mother. And also her sister just a couple months later; and a cousin, a long-time family friend, a friend/mentor/former boss, and an uncle to round out the year. Unpleasantries included 2 major back surgeries for my husband just 10 months apart, with a chaotic house sale/purchase/move and consolidating 3 households worth of stuff (ours, mom's, and our former cabin up north) in between, and a few car troubles sprinkled in just for fun. Near death: my own. If I hadn't insisted to my doctor "we are missing something, I know there is something wrong", I would likely not be here typing this. But here I am! And looking forward to a MUCH better year ahead. I have my creative workspace settled enough now that I'm actually able to work in it. So far that's mostly entailed sewing, but I've also been doing some drawing and have taken paint to canvas a couple times. And it feels great. Right now I am gearing up to teach my first ever portrait class at Gallery 194 - starting in just 11 days! - gathering reference materials and supplies, and practicing. Part of that practice for me is doing more JKPP portraits; my 2016 output was pathetic compared to prior years - only 17 all year, with none at all from March through October. But I did manage to crank out a few I think turned out really well (a few others, not so much.) Now before I get off line and go back to practing drawing faces, here's a compilation of my 2016 JKPP portraits. Happy New Year! |
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