Thursday, March 26, 2009

Early Spring - Assessment Time

By our place in March and early April  it still looks like winter, even though it is officially spring.  Winter can be a long season up here, and it is lengthened because our property is wooded. The snow just doesn't melt as fast as in the open areas.  This time of year it is a little harder to stay motivated.  

Now is a good time to take stock of what art you have completed throughout winter and what projects you would like to do during the warmer months.  Perhaps this year some of us might try some plein air painting (painting outdoors in Nature). What appeals to me about this method is the looseness of the art.  You don't get bogged down in the details of every blade of grass or twig.  And since one of my medias is watercolor, that is what I am working towards.  Let your mind fill in the details as it looks at the painting and save yourself some time and energy.   This principle can apply to my jewelry work, as well.

My art themes for this spring and summer are: free, loose, abstract, small, and quick.  Does anyone want to join me?

6 comments:

  1. I like your idea of themes for your art for the upcoming season!

    After a bit of thought, I realized that mine are "new", "simple", "balance", and "smaller bites".

    Those words reflect my intentions for my jewelry designs, my approach to creating them, and my overall business plan for this year.

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  2. I am writing from California.I just came back from home after a month's stay in New York. Here the promise of spring has begun.

    The new tulips in my wee pot took me by the memory lane many years ago to Kukenhoff, in Holland -the tulip festival and those old pictures and journals inspired me to create two new pieces. I just uploaded them yesterday in my blog alankarshilpa.blogspot.com

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  3. Hello Everyone!

    This is what we're talking about. Your blog said you hadn't opened your bead box for a while. I love how you saw something springy, which jogged a memory of Holland tulips, which led you to create a beautiful piece of jewelry. Thanks for your story. Congratulations on your first grandchild!

    Lynn

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  4. And speaking of plein air painting... I just received an email from Wet Canvas saying, "It's spring let's take it outside" I thought that fit so well with what I wrote in my blog above that I am including the link http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=551963

    This link is a forum discussion about what supplies you need to pack for a painting trip into the great outdoors.

    Lynn

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  5. After going through a very depressing and emotionally depleting winter I look forward to the promise of new life that comes with spring. I haven't created any new jewelry in several months but I find myself drawn to my beads. I recently moved and now find setting up my work area is a high priority. Thank you for starting this blog and giving me a place where someone understands what I am going through.
    Patricia

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  6. Patricia,

    We're glad you're here! I find setting up & organizing my work area almost as enjoyable as making the art itself.

    Lynn

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