Embroidered Collage

Today is the one year anniversary of my first post, which coincides nicely with some artistic soul-searching I’ve been doing.

I have found blogging to be a very fulfilling experience. Last year I stated I wanted to present myself as a fiber and mixed-media artist, and I have. I’ve even said it out-loud to others, repeatedly. The motivation of posting has helped me do that next piece of art and to articulate how and why I chose to do it. I have been thrilled watching my readership and views slowly grow, it’s good to have proof I’m not the only one who thinks this stuff is interesting, :)  and by the occasional comments left by those who have found a particular entry extra entertaining or helpful.  I also like knowing that I might be influencing others in the same way I feel influenced by the wonderful blogs I read, from those written by pure hobbyists to highly successful professional artists. Thank you for reading, thank you for looking, thank you for passing by.

I mentioned some soul-searching. I found some focus in the last month and it was a blessed relief, but it turns out I wasn’t done yet.

What fascinates me the most intellectually is looking at the same idea or object in different ways and also at how those views are interconnected. This is why I enjoy the concepts behind materials engineering – structure, process, and properties – and business – marketing, sales, manufacturing, R&D – and even multiple retellings of fairy tales and old stories. I want to be exploring this theme in my art. I want to create pieces that use the different layers of media to both emphasize and bring together the different points of view in one visual image.

I realized that I am not capable of producing these highly complex multi-media interrelated pieces that I desire to create. I mean this in the same way that I say I am not capable of running a marathon. I could be, if I went through the necessary physical and mental conditioning. I need to further train and practice with my eyes, hands, and mind.

I create better art and enjoy it more if I work in a manner that builds on what has been previously done, rather than having a specific end result in mind and striving to reach it. This is not true improvisation, but more like the extension of a pattern. Perhaps, I can try doing canvas pieces by working back and forth between the painted surface and the stitched focal point(s) and moving towards the middle, for example.

In order to make the most of this working style I need to learn to let go of any infatuation with what is already there, as in the first layer of a collage. Otherwise I cannot effectively move the piece forward. I’ve already begun working on this one with my magazine derived collages … that I still have to show you …

Some other ideas for my next training steps are color and needlelace. I’ve reached a point where I need to stop reading and start doing. I need to actually mix colors and lay them out next to each other to internalize what happens. I need to stop thinking “oh, needlelace would be cool to add to this piece” and do the exercises to learn what it is capable of so I can use the technique easily.

I look forward to continuing to share what I create.