I'm finishing off a lot of small pieces of work for a couple of exhibitions - pieces that have been laying about for some time, just waiting for a binding or resolution in some form or another. When the finishing mood is upon me it is usually a prelude to starting something new. I know that I've promised to start resolving my Ullapool pieces at the start of next month but I think I will do another project at the same time. I need to get an idea onto canvas before it slips away.
I finished this piece yesterday, it is much more vibrant than the picture suggests - rubbish light levels today. Another difficult to sew piece because I had backed it before I finished stitching the front. In future I will leave the backing off until the front is completely resolved.
One thing I can't seem to complete is my altered book that I made on a Friday night work along with the Kemshall ladies, It started off at great speed but has since languished amongst my unfinished pieces stash. I think it's because I did not feel passionate enough about the subject I chose (Ode to a Nightingale - Shelley) a pity because I can see it has potential.
It really needs drawing into to bring it alive, but drawing takes a lot of time and energy for me. Maybe I will complete it at some time or abandon the subject and do something that appeals to me more. The beauty of altered books is that they can be painted over with gesso and restarted easily when something doesn't work.
I got into altered books after watching the DMTV videos too... and although I've gone on to start more I've not finished the one I started at the time. But the beauty is that you can dip in and out with them. I'm tempted by the Kemshall's sketchbook course.
ReplyDeleteI teach altered books and find the ones that get completed are the ones that don't have a theme. You just create individual pages, it's like creating mini pieces of art on a subject that interests you at the time. They almost become like diaries as I date each page.
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