Visions For My Year.

Last time, I told you about how my goal for the year is to finish projects.  That means focusing and finding time to finish creative projects, but I think it also means more.  Both in creative activities, and in living life.  It means persevering with a project, and working through all of its problems, instead of tossing it aside and starting anew.    It means giving strength to my voice, and saying, "I CAN do this", and not walking away.

It also means being able to recognize when something is finished, and not overworking it.  As well as "to complete", finish might also mean " to end", and my vision this year of "Finish" also involves ridding my life of the activities, items and relationships that aren't conductive to my life vision.

So, in an effort to stay focused on my vision for the year, I made a little piece of art as a reminder of my vision to "Finish".  The singing fat lady reminds me that it's not finished until she sings.  Her hourglass waist brings a focus to taking time for projects that need to be finished.  The back of the card features some of my favourite quotes about finishing.  All in all, a quick, fun, and inspirational project.

While "Finish" sums up my year's vision, I have a vision for the month as well.  Months seem a little more obtainable and manageable than years.  My word for this month was "reconnect".  January was the month to reconnect with some mentors, and get back on track with the projects that I was working on with them before Christmas came and disorganized everyone's lives.  It was also the month to reconnect within myself, taking the time to think about just what it is I want to be doing, and what I hope to achieve.  

While the word "reconnect" has deep meaning to me, it invokes images of dropped telephone calls and malfunctioning electrical appliances, so I went with that.  I rather like the couched on telephone wire.

Now, on to February.  Do please note, that this officially makes 2 finished projects!

Small Successes

Monkey's ornament

Every day this month, I've done something creative, and most days, it was something related to finishing an art project.  It is, however, almost the end of the month and I've been sitting here this morning thinking, "haven't I completely finished a single thing this month?"

Not that I'm discounting all of the things that I have done-the doll parts that have been sculpted, the stitches that have been put in my dryad quilt, the block of the month blocks-but surely in a month I should have made something small that's completely finished!

C. Bear's ornament

Oh yes! I do have finished a few small projects.  Early this month I made a few items as gifts.  The first 3 I made for my sister and nephews in the Leaf Pod Baby class taught by Marilyn Radzat; the boys ornaments made to suit their nicknames and my sisters ornaments to reflect her twin boys.

The other item was part of a gift exchange from last year that I haven't finished up with yet.  The sweet little fabric bead went nicely on this butterfly pendant I think.  This is my first go at wire jewelry making, and I really enjoyed the process.  I think I might have to play more with this technique sometime.  The pattern that inspired this pendant can be found here if you want to make something similar.

A Round of Applause

I'm still muddling through my sculpting journey.  I've had my clay supply restock over Christmas, and I'm back at it.  I think I may have actually had a small success with it today to.  I have a set of hand sculpted.  Unlike the last time I share with you my hands (http://jennleegordon.blogspot.com/2011/08/sculpting-continues.html), this time went better.  No broken fingers, no hairline fractures. No swearing (okay, maybe there was a little of that...).  Perhaps I should knock on wood now that I've said it, but I've sculpted hands!  I'm even happy with these!  Only problem I have with these, other than a few dreaded moonies,  is that the clay added for a second baking didn't bake to the same colour as the rest-but I really don't think it's going to matter after I apply paint.  Yay!

A Brand New Year

I don't make New Year's resolutions, because they generally get broken, and don't seem to leave much room for flexibility.  Instead, I've sat down and reflected on what it is I really want to accomplish this year.  If I change my mind, I can, without guilt, throw it out, and I have the freedom add to my vision as need be.  It is, after all, my life.

My main objective when it comes to my art this year, is to finish projects.  Yes, those of you who know me are probably laughing (not finishing projects has been a problem my whole life.  I have things here that I've been working on since I was 12 years old!), but I'm serious.  This is the year to finish projects.  It's all fine and good to say this, but I do have a plan.

First part of the plan was to identify what inhibits me from finishing work.  I have no problem starting it, but much doesn't get finished.  Why?  I don't seem to lack inspiration, and am always coming up with new project ideas.  Instead of starting each new project as it comes to me, I'm embracing the sketch book.  Write about it, drawn it, get all the ideas out on paper, and then put that away until I can give it all my focus.

Also, I need to be more mindful of what projects I take on.  Learning is great, but I have amassed enough knowledge over the past several years, to not need to take every class and workshop that I have opportunity to take.  I know what I want to achieve with my art, so before taking any workshop, I promise to ask myself, "will this help me develop my art?".  As a figurative artist, I probably really don't need to be taking that class in free-form patchwork.  Sure, it would be fun to attend, but I know the basics of that technique if I ever need to do it in one of my projects. Am I going to finish the quilt after the workshop ends?  Probably not.  So, just save myself the time, money, and space in the unfinished projects box (the lid hardly fits on that box now as it is!).  Don't take that workshop.  A workshop that will have value will come around, I know.

Limiting workshops should give me more time to focus on my own projects.  Not taking a class at the college this semester will cut down the number of projects I have going at one time.  Though I will miss having that weekly connection with other artists, I think I have to say, "thanks for teaching me, now I need to go use what I've learned".  I'm pleased to be in a place where I feel confident enough in myself to create freely and without doubt.

In order to stay true to the artist I want to be, I've decided it's time to go through that box of unfinished projects and get rid of the projects lingering that I know I am never going to finish.  There is no joy in working on something you hate.   Alternatively, accept that the project isn't finished because it isn't working, and reinvent it.  This is one such project.  I wasn't loving the design that ended up on this piece of boiled wool.  I kept working it with my embellisher , until finally structural integrity gave way and a great big tear developed (you can't see it too well in this photo maybe, but I assure you, it is there!).  Not knowing what to do with it, though not being able to part with it, it had a place in "the box" until I decided to cut it up and give it new life.  I like this now, making it so much closer to being finished.

This doesn't mean I'm not starting any new projects this year.  Of course I am!  I'm doing the free block of the month quilt that Craftsy is offering.  It's broken down into manageable bits, gives me a fun little break away from my projects, and at the end of the year if I follow along correctly, I have a nice little quilt to give someone for Christmas.  That's one less Christmas gift to panic about in December.  Win win situation there!  Because I know I create better with the company of others and I don't have the college with me now, I've registered for Linda Matthews' Creative Explorer's Club, which is all about time management and creativity.  

So, that's my plan for this year.  Finish projects.  What's yours?