New Year's Ramblings

I want to wish everyone a happy and productive 2012. I've been quickly scanning the blogs of a number of on-line friends and I am amazed at how ambitious everyone seems to be. I continue to struggle to find blocks of time to focus intensely on my art and have to keep reminding myself of what a wonderful gift my travel experiences are. That said, I have decided that this year I'm going to choose a word to remind myself to find the time to DO something creative every chance I get and to not get discouraged.  I've had many great ideas over the past year but nothing to show for them! 

Some people choose a focus word for the year and I've been mulling this over and the word that keeps coming to mind is 'PERSEVERE' – to persist determinedly and steadily in an action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite problems or difficulties, continue, keep at it, carry on, keep trying, stick with it.

On the other hand, maybe I'm being too hard on myself.  With a new granddaughter and two grandnieces last year, I've knit and smocked and quilted for them.  I sewed fabric books to help start new family traditions.  I've invested volunteer hours to help our RV friends in NK'Mip win the ribbon for best float in the Christmas parade.  I actually sold a couple of paintings earlier in the year.  I've learned new skills and now can creating beaded jewelry.  More recently I've created and remodeled a wardrobe for our upcoming cruise (RVing clothes and cruising clothes are not synonymous!)  Al1this and over 10,000 miles on the motor home, many hours of hiking and sightseeing, many new friends and experiences......!

Part of my action plan may be to rethink the media and format that I use.  I love to work large – but maybe I should explore working small; I love to do free motion and other machine work – but maybe I could explore more handwork;  I love to work with fabric – but maybe I should revisit other media…watercolor, pastels, acrylics…on paper for the moment because it is easier to store, keeping in mind that I can also use these materials on fabric if there is a theme or series that evolves.

 Another way for me to maintain a focus is to commit to having pieces finished to enter in a show or to have a number of smaller items prepared for sale over the next year.  I've missed a couple of opportunities this past fall because I didn't have enough items ready in time!  The Fibre Art Network (FAN), a group of western Canada fibre artists to which I belong, has two shows coming up this spring and I plan to have something finished for at least one if not both venues.