I’m up to so much

I’m up to so much these days, and yet it seems like I’m up to nothing at all.

With the temperature cooling and the tree shadows lengthening, I have been creatively and emotionally shifting gears. And as late summer sinks into its deepest shades of green and the vibrancy of the earlier-in-the-season foliage begins thinking about its autumn wardrobe, my mind too seeks a richer color pallet.

And with that I am focusing on art.  I think it’s funny how certain weather conditions or certain seasons seem more conducive to my working with vibrant colors of paint or fibers.

I have so many projects going that I find it hard to pick which to give my attention.  I think the warmth of the wool and fabric entices me to embroider, weave or rug hook.  Yet the desire to mix colors with paint and articulate a more “fluid” expression of myself has such an appeal.

I have a fairly large hook rug I am working on.  But it’s necessary to sit at the work table for long periods of time in concentrated effort pulling thousands of narrow pieces of colorful wool fabric through the backing…this seems to lend itself to cold weather and long nights.  So I guess I’ll wait a bit on this. 

I am an “uschooled” painter, and it takes a Herculean effort on my part to get in the “zone”.  But when i’m finally in the creative groove, I can work hours into the night experimenting and discovering the right blend of color, the proper shading or the subtle balance of the composition.  So as often as I walk into my art room to begin, I often walk back out until another time. 

Well that means the choice right now is embroidery.  It’s small, portable and extremely colorful.  I can create the feeling of spring or summer color on a fabric canvas with minimal disappointment if I’m interrupted by the phone, errands or the ever enticing call of the outdoors.

Not quite the overt artistic expression I am looking for, but for now-- it will do.