I LOVE the Robinson quote about September. By the way, I am enjoying Kathleen Jamie’s book Findings. Have you ever read anything by Robert MacFarlane? He, too, captures the natural world so beautifully.
It's such a poetic way to describe the changing seasons isn't it!! Glad you're enjoying Findings, and yes, I've read several of Robert MacFarlane's books as well. Again, another author who, as you say, captures the natural world so beautifully!! Have a great weekend!!
So shocking! LOL I do the same when it's time to clear out. And I think it's awesome that you've done it. My theory is that as you become a mature artist, an artist who has developed their own vision, discernment comes with it. You know what works and what doesn't. Not hanging on to what doesn't work opens the door to future work that does. So good on you!
Thanks Ellen - yes, you're right! I look back at work from a few years ago, and wonder what I was thinking!! We move forward and develop - clearing out all the old, keeping only what we like, that points us in the direction of further exploration - it's such a freeing feeling!! And, I've been painting away in all the newly found space so it feels as if it's been a productive process!!
It’s such a wonderful thing to do, get rid of stuff which is cluttering both in a physical and mental way. I once had a tutor who advocated getting rid of last year’s bits every year! It’s something I’ve been discussing this week with a friend and something I should do! Maybe the change of seasons is working on us all - a metaphor for shedding our leaves and creating space to regenerate our practice.
Oh I like that metaphor Liza! Yes, there's definitely a feeling of 'shedding'! And I'm beginning to hunker down and paint in all the newly found space I have!! It's so cathartic - even started in the house too!!
Oh, well done! I quite understand the need to do that. I did the same thing last year and it is very cathartic. Sometimes we just have to remove things rather than reuse them as something else - and ripping is great fun.
Exactly Gillian! If I had used the work for collage etc, it just felt like I was moving things from one pile to another rather than sorting! Already the studio feels much 'lighter' and as if I have the space to work!
I am also a “ripper” and it drives my husband crazy. “Wait! I love that one!!” He will say. Now he has a small pile of the ones he “saved” over the years. Each season I tend to reset my studio and touch all of my supplies to make sure they are still important to my process. If not I send them along to another artist. Someday I would love to meet a fiber artist so I could donate my ripped pieces to and they could make new paper or turn into something else. Until then out they go!
Ha, yes, been there with that - there was a particular piece that my husband liked, that I couldn’t resist adding to, and then I didn’t like it any more, so ripped it up! He just rolled his eyes!! Great idea to ‘reset’ the studio every year; as you say, it gives you a chance to see what you have and whether it’s still important!
Yes! It is a good feeling to rip up things you know you don’t feel are up to scratch, and you’re right— it not only clears space in the studio, but it feels like a mental / emotional clearing out as well. And that’s very good for getting on with new work!
Oh certainly! Such a sense of relief, offloading all the stuff that's not up to scratch. Now I'm not knocking over piles of work every time I turn round, I've been painting away!!
If my workspace is so tidy that there is nothing left out then I find it harder to get going but the stuff I do then is always the same as what I had been doing as it’s the same materials and tools. I guess for a ‘restart’ I should tidy up and then put out something different to play with!
Oooh, perhaps we should have a box of 'Lucky Dip' materials to hand, and experiment with whatever we pull out....? Could be messy but never mind...we can soon tidy up again!!
I LOVE the Robinson quote about September. By the way, I am enjoying Kathleen Jamie’s book Findings. Have you ever read anything by Robert MacFarlane? He, too, captures the natural world so beautifully.
It's such a poetic way to describe the changing seasons isn't it!! Glad you're enjoying Findings, and yes, I've read several of Robert MacFarlane's books as well. Again, another author who, as you say, captures the natural world so beautifully!! Have a great weekend!!
So shocking! LOL I do the same when it's time to clear out. And I think it's awesome that you've done it. My theory is that as you become a mature artist, an artist who has developed their own vision, discernment comes with it. You know what works and what doesn't. Not hanging on to what doesn't work opens the door to future work that does. So good on you!
You just nailed it Ellen, I think many of us do the same thing but not on a public platform lol.
Thanks Ellen - yes, you're right! I look back at work from a few years ago, and wonder what I was thinking!! We move forward and develop - clearing out all the old, keeping only what we like, that points us in the direction of further exploration - it's such a freeing feeling!! And, I've been painting away in all the newly found space so it feels as if it's been a productive process!!
It’s such a wonderful thing to do, get rid of stuff which is cluttering both in a physical and mental way. I once had a tutor who advocated getting rid of last year’s bits every year! It’s something I’ve been discussing this week with a friend and something I should do! Maybe the change of seasons is working on us all - a metaphor for shedding our leaves and creating space to regenerate our practice.
Oh I like that metaphor Liza! Yes, there's definitely a feeling of 'shedding'! And I'm beginning to hunker down and paint in all the newly found space I have!! It's so cathartic - even started in the house too!!
Oh, well done! I quite understand the need to do that. I did the same thing last year and it is very cathartic. Sometimes we just have to remove things rather than reuse them as something else - and ripping is great fun.
Exactly Gillian! If I had used the work for collage etc, it just felt like I was moving things from one pile to another rather than sorting! Already the studio feels much 'lighter' and as if I have the space to work!
I am also a “ripper” and it drives my husband crazy. “Wait! I love that one!!” He will say. Now he has a small pile of the ones he “saved” over the years. Each season I tend to reset my studio and touch all of my supplies to make sure they are still important to my process. If not I send them along to another artist. Someday I would love to meet a fiber artist so I could donate my ripped pieces to and they could make new paper or turn into something else. Until then out they go!
Ha, yes, been there with that - there was a particular piece that my husband liked, that I couldn’t resist adding to, and then I didn’t like it any more, so ripped it up! He just rolled his eyes!! Great idea to ‘reset’ the studio every year; as you say, it gives you a chance to see what you have and whether it’s still important!
Yes! It is a good feeling to rip up things you know you don’t feel are up to scratch, and you’re right— it not only clears space in the studio, but it feels like a mental / emotional clearing out as well. And that’s very good for getting on with new work!
Oh certainly! Such a sense of relief, offloading all the stuff that's not up to scratch. Now I'm not knocking over piles of work every time I turn round, I've been painting away!!
If my workspace is so tidy that there is nothing left out then I find it harder to get going but the stuff I do then is always the same as what I had been doing as it’s the same materials and tools. I guess for a ‘restart’ I should tidy up and then put out something different to play with!
Oooh, perhaps we should have a box of 'Lucky Dip' materials to hand, and experiment with whatever we pull out....? Could be messy but never mind...we can soon tidy up again!!