I am having a lot of fun carving new blocks for printing on fabric. They get a little messy so they need to be cleaned up a little. The wood blocks are great because you can alter and shape them even after you have used them a lot.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Friday, January 22, 2016
An Artist's Interest
In my later half of life I have been lucky enough to reside in a town full of artists. Every artist type you could think of has taken up residency here in Merrickville. I’ve never had a real connection with other artists except at school. To live among them is a privilege and a bit like being on the inside of a secret organization.
Back in 2003 we started out getting to know each other over coffee. We would meet every week regularly and discuss the daily events, what’s going on in the community and then right into what each other is working on, what pieces, what techniques, what we would like to do, what shows we are doing and what we could do to help each other out. Breakfast was important to us, it was our way of appearing normal and approachable. To tell you the truth if it were not for bills, starvation, the mortgage and the shear need for oxygen and sleep, you would find us in our studios creating, reworking, creating, pulling our hair out, singing, dancing, crying, creating even more NON STOP, except for that irritating oh! so nagging bladder that doesn’t seem to hold on as well as it use to.
Over the last several years the breakfasts have stopped and life took over as it does. We still create and confirm with each other from time to time but it is not as often. We have all moved into other groups for support, socialization (again to appear normal). These new groups are still creative groups. Singers, carpenters, painters, musicians, gardeners, textile artists, etc. Some are in our immediate community others we have found outside the community. Some in other communities not too far away and others on the world wide web.
A couple of us have come back to meeting once a week. I really have missed that and I think that I was very productive after those get togethers. When you hang with like minded people it sparks your energy into doing more. That is exactly what we give to each other.
One of the ladies that I meet with has been taking a few courses with other artist to learn or unlearn rules of creating. She is loving it and several other artists are on her journey with her. We are having a workshop together and our students are other artists looking to learn a new skill set to add to their already creative lives.
I had a few artist over yesterday and they were going over a few shows that they were doing and about another more famous artists coming to do a workshop with their group.
I’ve noticed at the shows and the workshops that the artists do more than learn something they also purchase pieces. They collect other artists works. A while ago I thought that was strange, defeating the purpose of getting your art out there to the mass public. On reflection of that over the last few weeks I see it is the way it has always been. Other artists taking up residence with other artists, supporting, learning, buying. Who better than a working artists to have your work. Besides being a compliment of the highest order, they have an inside look at the struggles and the brilliance of this person. An intimate knowledge. Next time you are at an artists home, see who they are collecting and why. Go see those artists also. A great insider view if you are new to collecting.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
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