While scrolling through my Instagram account I came across a weaver from the UK that weaves on rocks and wood cutoffs. I was intrigued so I made a point of looking for interesting pieces of rock and slate along the beaches that I frequently pass on my walks. This idea came from Sarah Ward Podleszny over at Lark and Bower but I’ve since discovered that there are numerous other artist around the world that do this kind of weaving as well. Here are my first three pieces. I think I could become addicted.
Today’s word is ‘wise’ and I feel I made a wise decision. I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile. As some of you may know I am preparing for my second art show and I’ve been busy making new work. I feel, however, that I might have to use some work that I’ve already shown in the past year but I’m feeling pretty confident that most of the pieces will be new.
Having said that I painted a floral abstract that I’ve put in three shows already and it’s never sold. It was part of a series of paintings and all of the other paintings sold. Today I decided it was time to make a change because I have to admit that over the past several weeks I’ve been dreaming about how I might change it. This afternoon I had the courage to do just that. I’m glad I did because I’m liking it much better.
As I prepare for my solo art show I get so obsessed with the number of pieces that I don’t always think about the impact of the finished piece. This happened last night or should I say over several days where I’ve been stewing over one piece that just didn’t sit right with me.
Just because I signed it doesn’t mean that I can’t make changes. I was unhappy with the bottom third of this painting and with the hair around the face. Last night I dove in and completely changed the bottom and almost completely eliminated the hair. I like it so much better.
The large painting on the bottom of the above grouping is just the beginning. It is the largest piece that I have ever attempted (15″ x 30″) and it will go through several transformations before I’m done with it. Stay tuned.
I loved the book Beartown so much that I went on to read the following two books in the series. Beartown is a book that can stand on it’s own but if you love the characters you’ll want to read more. The interesting thing about this book is that it is about a junior hockey team in northern Sweden and not something that I would gravitate to. I’m not a huge hockey fan but I do enjoy watching Olympic hockey.
The story involves flawed characters and a community who get caught up in their devotion to a hockey team. Unlike Backman’s more lovable characters in A Man Called Ove and Anxious People the people of Beartown reflect a more realistic community and how making a bad decision has negative consequences that can ruin people’s lives. Backman has the ability to write thoughtfully and make us feel empathy for his characters. The novel is full of suspense, conflict and passion for a game.
If you belong to a bookclub I can see some great discussions come from this novel. The pressure we put on our children to be the best, drinking underage, rape, the roles of women vs men, parenting, the importance of sport in our communities, social and cultural prejudices, and homophobia are just a few areas for discussion.
I loved all the books so much that I decided to draw a map of the two fictional towns, Hed and Beartown and the forest that separates them in northern Sweden. This is how I imagined the map. to look like.
Today I listened to both videos but only had time to follow along with one of them. If I have time I will pull out my Geli Plate and make some papers for future collage projects.
Helen Wells was the first guest artist today and she took us through a fun drawing project that was focused mostly on colour. I follow Helen Wells online and have one of her books for inspiration. I’ve done similar assignments before and I always find them very meditative and relaxing.
….the first two weeks of May I’m doing another solo art show
I have been procrastinating….nothing new there but I am starting to feel the pressure of putting together enough pieces for a new show. Once I get going it’s hard to stop me. Here is what my art table looks like right now.
Mama Cormier 