So, I'm a few days late…but Happy New Year anyway!
I've been so busy…right now I'm on quarter break from school…I'm loving art school, but it definitely it much more difficult than I expected! It consumes much of my time, but is totally worth it! My Photoshop and Illustrator skills are vastly improved, but I'm finding that the more I use those programs, the more I realize there is to know…nonetheless, I completed my final project for my "Fundamentals of Design" course using both, and scored a 100% on it! I was stunned! Not that I didn't think I deserved an "A" (but of course!), but I really struggled with this course…by the fourth week my grade had plummeted to a D+! I worked even harder the last couple weeks, and was able to bring my grade up to an A-! This is my final project:
It was my intent to design a project utilizing the design principles we learned (balance, movement, rotation, repetition, color theory, etc.) as well as incorporate an art deco theme. The title of my piece is "No, I'm the Diva."
I've also been busy with my first online class, "Moshi Moshi." I've been collaborating with Monica Zuninga from Hands and Heart, and our first class is a beginners doll class featuring a handpainted body and clothes…right now I'm tweaking the clothes patterns, and getting ready to film the construction of the clothes as well as developing surface design techniques so that the fabric used for the clothes will be handpainted as well. I feel it is so important to learn the skills necessary to develop one's own signature look, so our goal for this class is not only to teach the skills necessary to construct and complete a doll, but to give our students the tools to customize their dolls as well.
Monica also has other classes and art groups available, and one group that has just started up is a challenge group and the theme for January is "intentions"…I've just completed my January challenge piece…for my art journal I've chosen a key word for 2011, and that word is "begin." I'm such a procrastinator because I'm such a perfectionist. I'm known to begin and not complete so many projects, not because I'm lazy but because I'm afraid they won't turn out as well as I would like…so as I reflected on my goals and aspirations for 2011, I needed to examine what was holding me back from accomplishing all I desired…initially I thought it was "just" procrastinating, but upon closer reflection I realized it was fear…and that fear was holding me back…holding me back from not only accomplishing what I desired, but holding me back from the joy of creating…of enjoying the process…I plan and plan and plan and plan, but nothing will give me the satisfaction of not only completing a project but of improving my skills unless I do it. My solution…to just begin! I know that I'm easliy inspired, and have many many ideas, but nothing will come of them if I don't start…if I don't begin…and the more I do, the more my skills will improve whether it's working with software, sewing, sketching, painting…so my word for 2011…BEGIN! Here is my January challenge piece…a 5" embroidered/quilted art quilt. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to redo it, or just quit, because it wasn't turning out the way I'd planned…but…I persisted and completed it, even if the lettering didn't turn out as nicely as I wanted…I free-handed the piece as I was working…no sketching…just worked stitch upon stitch…and I finished it!
What is holding YOU back from your dreams? Fear? Lack of skills? Join me on this grand adventure of living a creative life…don't let fear hold you back…you can do it! There are so many resources available to us with the internet…we can learn to do anything…just BEGIN!
Thank you SO much for stopping by today…
Toodles and Hugs!
What say you?