Speaking of tall, the Tall Ships are in Boston today and tomorrow, I'd love to see them. I am pretty sure that I can't get in there by train due to The Legs and Feet. It would really be scary and hard to get partway there, get on a ship, or on the way home, and have pain get overwhelming. Once again, pain wins. Sigh. TV just isn't the same. Would love to photograph Kizzy against such a pirate-like backdrop. But even he isn't allowed entry to the ship area. What fun is that?!
Grateful that the majority of the school year is done and my weeks as a full time artist loom ahead. I have so many things to try now that my PFAFF is back. It is hard for me to realize that my art has changed so much over the past few years. Instead of being inspired by commercial or batik fabrics and constructing collages of images, there has been more of a shift to surface and texture. I am more into mixed media and embellishment now -- the beads and stitch have taken over -- and the fabric underneath isn't the main star anymore. My color palette is a bit different, too - more subtle and less "stained glass" like. It's hard to realize that a method that worked so well for creating art in the past might be just that - in the past - and new avenues are more interesting. I haven't a clue where I "am" as an artist right now, and realize that is okay, and it is an inspiring place to be. I do know that threads and beads are involved, though.
As I've made this artistic shift and been dealing with less productivity and more "percolating," I have been voraciously reading books on textile arts. I have been reading the digital version of Cas Holmes "Stitch Stories" which is jam packed with technical ideas and even references using methylcellulose on paper and then sewing it to fabric. Yeah, baby! Love my meth (glue!) The digital copy wasn't enough for my artistic hunger, so I broke down and ordered a copy off Amazon as a "end of the year" launch supply. Toby is becoming more expensive due to medication costs and I can not spend any money on anything unnecessary these days as long as he lives (and pees. Oh, my world) and my own medical expenses are over $200 this month, too, but thought this was an acceptable educational expense. As Ma used to say, "You have to live, too."
And on that note, this week is full of memorable days. Boncuk turned 10, and my dear friend's son (my favorite 6th grader!) turned 12. The next day Zaza turned 9. Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of my Dad's death, which I sadly remember like yesterday, and then Sunday Hapi turns 8. That's a whole lot of celebrating and remembering. And my neighbor and cousin's daughter had birthdays, too, What a week!
The good, the bad, and the ugly. Amidst all this, art happens. Or tries to, anyway!