Getting back in the swing of things

I am writing today in hopes that this starts a new chapter for me. After 4 years away from my studio, followed by eight months of home remodel/prep, I am finally at the pivotal point where I can allow myself the joy of creating just for my pleasure. The studio is about 80% packed up in anticipation of our move across country. Left accessible are drawing and painting materials. My thought here is that drawing and painting a la watercolor and water color pencils takes up very little space. It is also an area in which I have not spent much time developing my skills. I have no doubt that my drawing skills, though rudimentary and VERY rusty will develop along the way. In the meantime it'll give me an opportunity to slow my thought process down long enough to see.

I have always been inspired by the fact that my grandmother on my father's side didn't even start painting watercolor until she was in her late 60s maybe 70s. She became a very talented botanical specimen painter, drawing and painting from flora in her realm. She did dry brush technique and was very very detailed. I am fortunate to have many of her paintings. One of her earliest ones was a black-eyed Susan she did for me. Sadly it is on poor quality paper but it is a treasured piece of our history.

I am the type of person who can focus pretty intently on what I perceive as the most important aspect at any given time. Over the last 4 years I have shelved my artistic creative energies and focused on first, the cafe, then readying the house for market. Now that all that is done and we are awaiting a buyer, I can once again reclaim the creative energy for my own.

We have spent the last 15 years in the Ozarks due to my parents deciding this was the place to be and our wanting to be able to assist. Sure do wish I could have persuaded my father that Florida was the place to be. Water over the dam. It was an interesting detour but now we want to be near our children and grandchildren. This requires pulling up stakes and relocating.  The house is ready and on the market. Although we have listed with an agent who has us on abut 6 sites, we have yet to have a single person see the house with a view toward buying it. Jon and I have made a point of inviting folks over for dinner who we know have a wide audience with the hopes they can pass along what a nice house it is to the right person. It is very frustrating. So I decided that things are now far enough along it is time for me to begin my own next chapter artistically.

While spending all this time working on various house projects I've speculated on where my art pursuit might take me next. I think I've said all I had to say with my bull's eye direction. I'm pretty sure I want to challenge myself in another direction. Dyeing, printmaking, mark-making, textures, saturated color, observations of nature, the hand of fiber-- these all still hold a fascination and I am pretty sure will evolve into my next foray. I'll try to add images of my playtimes. That always makes things more interesting.

I anticipated feeling a sadness while packing up the studio. Instead I found myself marveling at the vast quantity of materials and supplies I have accumulated as well as the resources at my fingertips. I've toyed with the idea of developing a series of classes, teaching techniques. I've also hoped that my granddaughter at almost 12 will have an interest in something I do and want to learn, I have even wondered about creating a fashionista class to teach tweens how to create their own looks upcycling thrift store finds. Should there be a real interest on the part of my granddaughter, I am sure it could occur, if only one on one. But for now, my create time will be strictly for my own indulgence. Yea, me!

Instead of feeling depressed that I am packing away my studio, which sat virtually un-utilized for the past 4 years, I am instead feeling hopeful. I have managed to winnow down to a few less "directions" I could throw myself into. I am pretty sure I'll not be spending my time on clay sculpture, basket weaving, dollmaking, or marbeling. I have jettisoned the materials and equipment to go off those directions. I have sorted and filed and packed. I now know what I have to work with and more importantly, can probably put my fingers on it without much delay. I still have 7 sewing machines of various uses, at least 15 large tote boxes of cut fabrics and well over 100 years of un-dyed fabric. I packed up over 75 jars of dyes and 2 tubs of auxiliaries. I have over 100 POUNDS of beads- glass beads are heavy. I gave away antique laces, men's ties, rolls of vinyl, but kept 2 big tubs of stamps I had made as well as 2 boxes of thermofax silkscreens and another tub of regular silk screens. Along the way I found boxes and boxes of old family photos. Surely they can have a voice.

My only apprehension at this point is wondering if we'll be able to find a location where  I am able to set up a real studio. I am resigned to the likelihood that I'll be taking over a garage as my studio. It isn't ideal as garages tend to not be very weatherproof and humidity is not kind to my craft. But it is a starting point. I get downright giddy at the thought of, once again, being able to attend art show openings and suck in that rare creative air. I thrive on the input of art and have felt, especially lately, the desert I've lived in. I'm like a starving refugee. Show me some art. Let me drink it in.

After so many years of being an active part in art shows around the country as well as  being on the boards of 5 different non-profit art organizations, I feel deprived. I love surrounding myself with creative individuals. They see things differently, approach challenges with a different energy and are simply those who I most prefer to be surrounded by.

I am having fun collecting images on Pinterest of various studio setups, with an eye towards how mine will be set up. I know I'll not likely ever have the luxury of the space I currently have. My current dye-kitchen, though ugly and hidden away, was perfect. Being in an old darkroom, it had the perfect 8 ft wide, 3 ft front to back and 3 inch deep sink to set buckets of dye on. I had a stovetop to steam my acid dyes, an exhaust vent and even a pasta water tap in the wall next to the stove top so I didn't have to haul heavy pots of water across the room, a washer and dryer and old kitchen cabinets in which to store all my dyes and auxiliaries. We won't even dwell on the loss of my 38 ft  x 9 ft design wall... or my 4 x 8 print table... or my 4 full sized book cases full of reference material. Sigh. In my new set up,  I expect to share the washer and dryer with the family, use an electric burner to heat my steamer, and cover tables with plastic to place my dyepots. Oh well. The reward will be closeness of family. I am thrilled to begin to explore that aspect of my life.

My race right now is to get the studio packed the rest of the way. We'll be keeping the space to stage our move. I'll make it a priority to clear off a portion of my print table so I have room to draw. Each day I'll spend the morning on packing projects and the afternoon on creative adventures. That's my promise to me. I hope you enjoy my journey. I am glad you are along for the ride. Here we go.