Last week I did a little bit of drawing...don't faint! I use the word drawing very loosely as I am no artist, especially with a pencil. The aim was to spark something, anything.....go back to basics Karen like you were taught, make marks on paper. It didn't work. Drawing induces fear and feelings of inadequacy in me not creativity. Then I remembered Dennis, a tutor on my Art foundation degree who reassured me once by pointing out that there is more than one way of mark making and stitching is equally as valid as sketching. Thank you Dennis.
The point of all this? I felt a little directionless. I am very excited about what is happening in both my current classes yet I still need something else to excite me and feed me creatively. In order I deliver the best kind of class I need to keep testing, trying new ideas, varying processes, using favourite techniques in different ways.
The artist book I showed you yesterday has been under my nose for days. It's always in my line of vision, I often turn the pages and I realised that at some point in that act of turning those pages something in particular gets me all of a flutter......the overlays. So....I am going to create 'overlays', sample overlays (soft cloth and paper combinations, surfaces on which to hand embroider) and whilst I am doing that think of other ways they could be used.
The piece today with the blue and white beads is similar to an overlay but it's quite big. I have other plans for that. I'm going to start small with the new pieces and see where it takes me.
Also today, something else we are working on in artist book class, the next book....pages of soft white paper with added embroidery and bling. What's not to love.
This is the video from yesterday if you want to understand an 'overlay' better.