Monday, February 29, 2016

Remembering to practice...

I made two mini collages tonight
These came after a long day of just not finding time to sit.  
I began the day with good intentions of really writing about practice today, to reflect on what it has meant to complete two months of this commitment to practice making every day.  Instead I thought about this a great deal but in the thinking I got a bit lost in my head and forgot about the practicing.  
Practicing is about not getting lost in my head but instead about showing up to what is in front of me.  So tonight it was good to come back to showing up to making something.  
And it was a good reminder that this blog has helped to shape daily making into a habit.  Today didn't feel right until I showed up to make something.  And it's a smaller - end of the day - better get this done - sort of making.  Yet it counts and it serves as a good reminder that it's the doing I committed to.  My plan for a big insightful blog post was likely the source of its own undoing.  
As I look back through this blog it IS big to have stayed with this commitment and yet it's big in an accumulated bits and pieces sort of way and that's also the only way forward.  My best insight is that it is really about remembering to keep showing up.  

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Seasons...

Two new photo transfers on collages:
The first is a photo from last week...
And the second is a photo from last May...
Warm weather today started to feel like Spring again - I look forward to more shades of green in the landscape soon.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Collage work

Today I completed the transfer on yesterday's collage...
...and began blocking in colors for two new collages...



Friday, February 26, 2016

Color inspiration...

I walked again today at Huntley Meadows, looking for inspiration in colors.  The best surprise was the high water and the reflections of the blue sky through trees...



At home I began a collage inspired by the shapes and colors in the first photo...



Thursday, February 25, 2016

Making time...

I was happy to see the sun today after two cold rainy days.
Today I made time for walks and lunch with friends, for errands with kids and home made pizza. After a full day it was with reluctance I remembered my commitment to make something everyday.
Luckily it is sometimes the most reluctant beginnings that end up the most fun.  I had fun playing with all the greens in this scene from Dyke Marsh last spring and imagining all the colors of spring soon to arrive.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Photo transfers and the beginning of a new series

A new photo transfer on collage...
And a third try at a photo transfer for this one - this time over blue paint...
And the beginning of a new series of mini collages.  
The last set of 50 went in the mail yesterday.  

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Blue paint...

For a while now I've been feeling like my collages are becoming more painterly; torn paper creates soft edges and the fibers often blend together mixing colors.

Today I want back to two collages that needed more work - I couldn't find just the right color paper or tear just the right shapes so I reached for some acrylic paint.
Here's my latest versions of these collages...

It's funny I'd been thinking how working with collage allowed a freedom to NOT mix colors to just choose from what I have.  Shifting a few months ago from glue to clear acrylic medium has naturally led me to mixing in some paint again too.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Reflections...

This is a second try after I pulled a bunch of soggy paper off and tried again - so far I like this version better...

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Vines and reflections...

New photo transfers on yesterday's collages...
Vines making lines
Reflections
And a new collage inspired by a morning sky...

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Saturday walk and new collages...

Took a long walk at Huntley Meadows with Kevin and both dogs today.
Here are the beginning of two collages...


Inspired by these photos from our walk...




Friday, February 19, 2016

New photo transfers...

Two new photo transfers on collages:
Tree branches against sunset colors...
And trees against a snowy background...
This second one will get more layers - not sure what yet - this detail of the white tree trunk against the darker branches is my favorite part...


Thursday, February 18, 2016

Another beginning...

Sometimes when it's hard to stick to a practice it's easier to show up if I set smaller goals.
Here's a first layer for a new collage inspired by snow along the GW parkway...

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Working in layers

Here is the beginning of a collage of colors from the evening sky today...
Trees will be the next step for this one.
And here's the latest layers and new photo transfer on this collage of Huntley Meadows...
...it will be interesting to see how it looks once the glue dries.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Photo on collage

My latest photo transfer on a collage - the texture around the reeds is my favorite.  Will wait to see what else might be next for this one...

Monday, February 15, 2016

Working from memory...

This collage is inspired by the glowing sunset light on a tree I saw on a run one evening last week.
I've been working a lot from photos lately but for this one tried to capture the colors from memory.


Saturday, February 13, 2016

More layers...

To the collage I began yesterday...
I'm enjoying finding there was more color than I'd thought in this winter landscape.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Today I made...

A garland...
A birthday cake...
And some changes to this collage, adding more layers over the photo transfer...

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Decorations from experiments

Today I used one of my experiments in felting and cut it into a set of hearts.
It made a different sort of felt color wheel.
Next step is to string these into a garland.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Photo-transfer in process...

So here is today's collage...
And then the second step with the photo transfer on top - I'm hoping maybe more of the colors underneath will show through once the acrylic dries fully.

Monday, February 8, 2016

More felting...

Slowly I'm working on improving my wet felting technique - here's the latest.
Before...
And after...

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Deadlines

Often creative time seems to run different than clock time.  It requires spaces to pause and reflect as well as times to make and do.
And then there are deadlines - opportunities that push for closure and decision making.  
I plan to enter this color wheel in a fiber arts exhibit and the deadline for entry is tomorrow.  This offered great motivation today to complete this project - here's the final version...

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Sewing

My latest color wheel - a few adjustments and finishing still to come...

Friday, February 5, 2016

Clay and felt...

Fired clay pieces from the kiln last night...
A pair of acorn maracas

And 2 new labyrinths.
My making today focused on another try with felting. Here's the before...
And after...
The colors separated more in this one than in the first - will try again to see if stretching the fibers differently helps them stay closer together in the felting process.