Sunday, June 23, 2013

On becoming conscious...my process...

So over the years I have had flowing interests in all things fiber.....
weaving, quilting, stitching, printing, dying, paper making and book binding......

which required an assortment of twine and thread and beads and paper, book board and fabric and needles, dyes and wax....and the tools for all these techniques

you know how that goes....

and as I made the paper and had the opportunity to travel to far off lands, I began to collect it too

(as we do...)

and then with the paper in hand I began to study printmaking.....and having let go of my loom, 

to fill that void

I acquired a large etching press.

And with that not only did I collect ink and plates and burnishing tools,

I also collected an assortment of tools and materials to frame my prints

mat board, frames, point driver, mat cutters

And as anyone who is into printmaking and has an interest in fibers and wax knows....

 the next lure

 is

encaustics.

and I collected all the stuff to work with that medium....

Burning in tools, more waxes, pigments, heating pans, cradled boards & brushes....

In addition to all that, over the years I've also collected sewing machines.

I'm counting......perhaps 6?

don't ask...

and tables and cutting mats and scissors and fabric,

pins and needles.....

and 

with all those supplies, I made sure in the last several years to take care of them.....

so I also collected beautiful rolling restaurant shelves and lots and lots of storage boxes.

Today I'm deeply entrenched in working with metal...

And I've collected a source of materials and tools for working that way too.

And then there are the Books

and Journals.....

and with trips and travels

oodles of ephemera for assemblage and inspiration

not forgetting aged, forgotten and not completed artworks

It is a 'soup to nuts' evolutionary creative practice for sure.

that took a lifetime to amass

And now as I sort my stuff......I realize I can't do this again.

Move with so much stuff that is.

Yesterday my friend Martin said...."well then, it's time to settle down".

And as I become conscious of my track record

not to mention my

astrological orientation

I thought it might be more likely that I

don't.

(settle down

that is)


10 comments:

  1. You could just *settle* for rambling along weightless. Nothin' in the world wrong with that.

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  2. Yes. Settle for being my true ~self~

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  3. i love this post . i could have written it ..
    i have been pondering this for a long time .my husband and i are both artist .
    so we have a 2x the art supplies . i am working on letting go (:
    i agree settle for being here now .

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    1. 2X!!! I can't imagine being married to another artist. I actually was once, a long time ago, so I should be able to. Since then I've partnered with the more structured types.....seems to keep me more in balance. Letting go is also scary, but imagine the minds image of it. It is beautiful.

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  4. I could have written this post too. Except for the part about not settling down. I've been in the same place - more or less - for most of my life. Settled here with all my accumulated stuff around me. And still it's time to clean house, because the clutter has become a distraction.
    Back to the task. Being ruthless.
    xo

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    Replies
    1. I went to Pennsylvania for the first time this year. You folk grow roots like I've never experienced before! One good thing about having moved, is that I have been forced to let go of and sort through some of this stuff already. You actually may have more to go through than I do. It is really really really good to stir up the energy that stagnates in unused clutter. This is easy to say. The distraction IS the problem. It is difficult to focus with so much stimulation.

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  5. I know it must feel overwhelming to pack up and unpack all this stuff ..... but Oh boy! I would love to look through it all.

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    Replies
    1. OH yes. I can't let anyone in here to see what I'm sorting. It slows the process. I had an artist friend drop by..... ooogling and saying, but you have so much GOOD stuff. Yeah. That's the problem and that's why it's painful to let it go. And as Leslie says.....it's a distraction. That said.....one side of me (the nostalgic one) wants to show everyone what I had/have and tell them every little story about it's collection. I will keep the the things which speak to me the loudest.

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  6. Aren't you inspired to just start working? So that you use up your supplies.
    Just close your eyes, reach out your hand, and begin to work with what your hand lands on?

    Going through beautiful art supplies slowly and letting the ideas come rushing in is one of my favourite things -WAS one of my favourite things to do. Now - I need to pare things away.

    Using things up feels good, giving things away also feels good.

    Best wishes - and thank you for a thought provoking post. I haven't been visiting blogs lately, and so it was a treat to go through your last few entries and travel with you to all those beautiful places.

    xx
    be well

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    Replies
    1. Yes Judy. and yes judy. I'm both inspired, thinking about projects that 'use' up my supplies.....and needing to pare down. So much of this process is about feeling good. I'm so glad you've enjoyed traveling with me. I wish I knew you when I lived in Canada....oxox P.S. my stitching is saving me

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