Focus

Over the last 4 years I have dabbled in so many techniques and tried a lot of art forms … at this point I’m not comfortable with my ability to do any of them “well” … I can’t seem to “get to good”. Judy Wise posted this comment in her blog...

The other thing I have finally grasped is that as artists we are forever in a state of uncomfortable growth. Just as we reach one level, the one we thought would make us happy forever, we find that we've already sensed a higher level, a larger challenge that we cannot yet accomplish. It doesn't go away. I'm afraid we are doomed to be growing and reaching and wanting more and never finding a stopping place. What do you think of that?

I am challenged this summer with finding my artist voice … I know I’ve posted about this before here and here, but I mean something different now. The “voice” I seek now is passion and joy. By this I mean … what forms of arting bring me joy? What forms of arting make my heart sing? What forms of arting do I want to delve deeper into? What forms of arting do I not want to do

I’ve dabbled in paper collage, mixed media collage, fabric and mixed media art quilts, journal making, visual journaling, journal quilting, postal art, ATCs, tag art, greeting cards, fabric collage books, scrap art … I’ve taken classes with Traci Bautista, Kelly Kilmer and Lesley Riley, Jill Berry, Odile Nicolette … I’ve taken online classes with Susan Sorrell, Jamie Ridler, and through Quilt University.

When I look back at my work, my heart sings with fabric and mixed media collage and bookmaking. I still can’t find my voice with visual journaling, but I l.o.v.e. making journals. These two areas seem to draw me in. I have a good time working with fabrics and papers and I enjoy using the sewing machine for putting things together. So … I think it wise to focus on these two areas and see how deep I can go. Perhaps somewhere in the mix of fabrics and papers a style will appear that is mine.