WEEK THIRTY FIVE (august 28 – september 3)
I am off to Tassie at the end of the week and I am in countdown mode.
I need to get a pile of things done before I leave, partly as prep for the trip, partly as a clearing of decks so that when I return after eight days away, I will not be overly stressed with the minutiae of living.
The BIG priority is my need to make a fundraiser/donation to OZQUILT. An artwork is the memento I would like to be able to purchase from fellow artist/members but it is a difficult call to fit in making one to give. Attendance at this event is small, everyone is a very capable maker and no-one needs to spend money on something undesired.
I want to quickly realise four small ‘paper knitting’ works using textile photos from textile trips as the subject matter. Four, simply because I have four dowels to make knitting needles that will suit A4 sizing. I could memorialize trips to Mongolia, North India, Laos & Cambodia and Uzbekistan & Kyrgystan. Already I am over number. Which trip, which country to leave out?
Knit1Purl1#4, using textile images from Mongolia, is finished quickly.
I grow to know, appreciate and love it over the course of a few days after first being suprised by it.
The imagery is from textiles that I own and yet I cannot give it this artwork away.
I move onto to choosing images from Uzbekistan for Knit1Purl1#5 – not easy as I have many photos I love.
I cut and stitch.
The front three Suzanni pieces……
…are different from the back three Suzanni pieces…
Despite this it took a long time to to narrow down the choices.
I quickly/slowly/guiltily make a start on Knit1Purl1#6.
I am hurrying now.
This will be the one to donate…
Alas, I run out of time – despite doing some late night sessions – something that I usually avoid.
I couldn’t hurry this piece. It needed a rest. I needed a break.
Life fragments a bit quicker with lack of sleep, and sleeping after a big art session is not like sleeping after a big exercise session.
This week though, my brain exercising did dual duty.
Perhaps achieving almost complete satisfaction by producing works close to my time allowance had something to do with it?
I eased my personal guilt by finding something else to donate.
Although my artwork storage is not optimum I chose a ‘wool circles’ piece that was already wrapped. Having it ready to travel was the reason to choose it – it all helps.
The week was also full because of the Class held here on Thursday.
Lovely as always.
We are getting works back on track and advancing – some quicker than others.
Cate’s aim is to finish a lingering ‘stargazey’ amalgam.
Pat is getting close to the finish line on her upholstery fabric townscape and the prolific Margot is finishing and starting anew.
Having a busy week in the studio is actually good. I cannot overthink the trip to come.
On Saturday it’s off to Tassie.
A morning pack. A full afternoon of flying. Dinner in Hobart.
We are so lucky to be able to travel like this….despite the golf clubs taking up precious back seat space….
As we are traveling with friends – Hobart born and bred – we come with tour guides and chauffeur. We four travel well together as always.
The last time we were together here Sal and I did a class at the Agrarian Kitchen.
Whilst deciding on our first day’s adventure I mentioned that Rodney Dunn/the Agrarian Kitchen had opened a restaurant at New Norfolk…and as New Norfolk has the best meandering Old Wares venue it was a no brainer.
We snaffled space at a communal table – luckily arriving just after all the Father’s had finished their celebratory lunches.
Memorably lovely fare, terrific venue and then there was our vintage lust…mostly bought home in the camera.
The end of a busy week and the start of a super week.
