Embroidered Collage

I've been through a couple of very conflicted weeks regarding the Daily Devotions art challenge.  I loved it, was frustrated with it, abandoned it, rehashed it, and have begun it again. 

I was first drawn to the art everyday plan by the romance of the idea.  I joined because I wanted to create a body of work and by doing so both experiment and improve the quality of my art.  I already did some art almost everyday, and was enjoying too many ideas to need the creativity spur, so I chose as my goal to complete a piece of art in a day, with the long term idea of having an exhibit in 2007, group or solo, official or renting space on my own, in some fashion.

After my first three weeks, and two missed days near the end of them, I was thrilled with my results.  I found three formats I wanted to explore further.  I'd made pieces I wouln't have approached otherwise.  Some were mediocre, but some were really good.  This was fun.

But I'd also been thinking about my overarching business goal - getting my art to support itself in terms of fees, supplies, and eventually classes - and how I was going to meet that goal.  I doubted whether the time and energy I put into doing and stocking away the DD365 pieces was the best way to go about it, and whether, if I could have an exhibit in 2007, I would really want it to be these pieces.

I stopped for a little while in my confusion, thinking.  A week later, I've noticed something.  I MISS it.  I miss making something that isn't part of a major goal or for a mail art swap.  So, I'm determined to bring it back.  With a couple changes regarding the results.

I want to primarily make pieces of a format I'm willing to sell on etsy.  I'll set aside each two weeks production for another two weeks, then review them.  I'll sort out the best couple to keep, maybe for an exhibit after all, put the next tier up for sale, and stash the ummms away as exercises to eventually be reused or discarded. 

In addition to the benefits I'd already discovered, I think this approach will add new ones.  I can indulge myself in some colored pencil sketching in my new little moleskine, since every piece doesn't have to be for sale.  I can take greater risks, since a failure/learning experience can be blog and recycle pile fodder but doesn't need to be for sale.  I will be presenting my best work.

My thought for the day - changing direction as you move along doesn't mean you're giving up, just that you can see the path you are traveling on more clearly.  I love this journey. :)