I haven't been sewing lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been creating. Sometimes, I fear that I am afflicted with what I like to call "crafter's ADD". Always dabbling, never perfecting. Maybe that should be my motto.
Last year about this time, I took a painting class. It was called something like landscape painting with acrylics and collage. It was really fun, but shortly thereafter I found myself to be employed (you know that story), and, well, no more painting. But I've had a couple of ideas floating around my head, and had to get them out!
I did 2 last week. Both with acrylic paints, and photographs (personal or otherwise noted) printed on tracing paper. Mixed media. The first was based on this personal photograph (I don't remember where it was taken):
And this drawing, scanned from an original drawing that my father made in 1952. (I happened on a stack of these on a recent visit to my mom's):
And here is my interpretation:
A collaboration of sorts. The red was drawn with a marker which ran when I decided to top the whole thing with an acrylic glazing liquid. Oops. I'm leaving it for now.
The second one was based on this photo of my dad (photographer unknown).
And my collage:
You can see these and the other paintings that I did in my class here on flickr.
Boy, that's an original title. I've been reading blogs on and off all day, and really enjoying the wrap ups of last year, and the plans for this year. Some of you are really ambitious! And some of you really did a lot of sewing last year!
I haven't added anything up. I made a lot of things, and have some favorites, and some that were not as successful. And a couple of things that I haven't worn at all.
But, today's post isn't about sewing. It's about art and the process. I think that sewing is definitely a creative process, and it's one of the things that I have been able to do at least fairly successfully most of my adult life. It just comes easy to me. And this year, artistically, I decided to stretch myself. In December, a friend, pointed me to a possibility for an art workshop of sorts on Etsy. 366 Pages, a yearlong, online, mixed media journaling workshop. After briefly contemplating, I leapt in (sorry). If you check it out, it's not too late to join. And what a deal! $20 for a year of encouragement, ideas and fun.
OK, the promotion is over, and I've done my first day's journal entry.
You will have to click on the picture to learn a little more about it.
And don't worry, this will stay a mostly sewing blog, with Wilma still making some appearances with a recipe on Wednesdays, and the occasional post about family or dogs. I may put some kind of flickr slideshow thing-y here, but that's still TBD.
Finally, I'll leave you to ponder on the size of my ironing basket when I tell you that my #1 resolution right now is to iron everything in said basket before the end of January (and hopefully sooner).
Here's to 2012!!!
