Thursday, December 15, 2005

Things just keep getting more frantic!

Tomorrow I have to post off as much stuff as possible which means I should be wrapping up parcels and writing cards instead of sitting at the computer writing this. But I've just finished dinner and I'm having a rest. Today has been spent playing catch up with myself. This morning I tried to make some dolls trousers. Now as a card carrying fashion maker/designer you'd think this would be a piece of cake but no! The first pair were obviously designed for a short bandy legged dwarf. Well of course if it was a dwarf they would be short! The second pair were so low that they would have been way way below the proverbial belly button and the last pair...well we won't talk about the last pair. These are clothes for a doll that I don't actually have in front of me. I took the measurements when I was up at my daughter's house in the summer but since then I have forgotten what the wretched doll looks like! I am about to go out of favour as a granny! Boo hoo!

On a happier note my copy of Colour and Composition for the Creative Quilter arrived while I was at work. I had remembered to put a note on the door so they left it at Mum's and I was able to have a quick squint at it this evening before dinner. I decided to get this book as a refresher course as what I'd seen and read on other blogs made it look useful and interesting. I notice that our Gabrielle has some pieces in it! But then she is so painterly! And I have to say it yet again that if it was'nt for her I'd probably not be going back to my Art School roots. My creative juices were fired anew. And also on another blog Threading Thoughts I was reminded of Art School by the reflections on Norman Rockwell and his method of working. Go read it because it is a really interesting piece. And Olga has said it better than I would! And last but not least I went to Mary Manahan's blog and was blown away by the work of her daughter Kacy. This budding artist produces really strong, impressive pieces. Some of them I found made me feel slightly uncomfortable but that is the power of expression that she has built into them. So all together I knew this was the moment to return to my art studies and refresh and renew. When I was doing the leaf works the part I got the most pleasure from doing was the painting of the leaves and the shading of colours to make the textures more apparent. So I am going to enjoy working through this book. My approach to colour these days is very intuitive but then after forty plus years of working with colour I'd expect it to be so. But also I strongly believe that one can open oneself up to new ideas and find that new paths of approach become apparent. Oh I am going to have so much fun!

Well I can no longer put off the evil hour. I must go and wrap presents and pack up parcels! Mallam, mallam, woe is me!

1 comment:

  1. Val, I am humbled. Thank you for your very kind words. To know that I have inspired someone to return to the roots of their work is the greatest gift I could have gotten for Christmas.

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