Two Seasons
Grassland Vessels - The Seeds
mixed media assemblage, paper,acrylics
Two Seasons
Last September, after several difficult months following the death of our oldest son, I found myself in a deep creative rut. I simply did not have the energy to think about creating. I was given the thought to just create whatever I wanted to, anything at all, in order to feed my soul and to find a deeper energy.
So I put aside the voices that boss me around and tell me what to make. I put aside any expectations for creating something that would be accepted into a show or gallery. I put aside any hopes of pleasing others and making some sales. Slowly, I began to experiment with some completely new ideas and techniques and slowly,I began to create a body of work simply for myself.
This wonderful, crazy creative beginning took a strong hold within me and I had the whole of autumn and winter to continue to create what came from deep within me.
I ended up creating almost 15 pieces over that six months. It was the most fruitful creative time I have ever experienced. Each piece was finished and I loved each one. No creator's remorse!
Grassland Vessels - The Seeds II
Mixed media assemblage, paper mache,paper, acrylics
Grassland Vessel
The time was very satisfying and restorative for me . It was almost as if I was on a different time schedule. Sometimes I would work late into the night. Other times I would wake up in the middle of the night wide awake, unable to sleep, and I would go to my studio and work for a time.
Sometimes I would find myself dreaming about my work and I would wake up and jot some notes down with ideas for the next day.
I found myself intrigued with things that had never interested me before. I even studied papier-mâché techniques. Suddenly my bathroom became a drying room for several small pieces of papier-mâché. I would find myself checking on them in the middle of the night when I had to make a trip to the loo. Another thing that happened, that was wonderful, was that I used a lot of my paper stash to create the grasses necessary for these pieces. Some of the pieces have over 2000 cuts in them and I used old paper that has been sitting in my drawers from past work. Recycling at its best!
Grassland Vessel- Emerging
Mixed media, paper mache,paper, acrylics
Growing at Water’s Edge IV
Mixed media assemblage, paper mache,papers, acrylics
Grassland Vessels-Habitat
Mixed media, paper mache, paper, acrylics