Thursday, January 12, 2006

Rain and a hand

On the weather scene, today we are scheduled for a couple of inches of rain and above freezing temperatures. Won't that be fun when it freezes. We have a couple of inches of snow on the ground so we are looking forward to a slushy mushy mess. Sidewalks are going to get interesting.

On the plus side, I was cleaning the top of my dresser the other day (read "catch all") and found an old deck of tarot cards. I though, "What the heck" and shuffled, thought " What should I know?" and pulled a card. The basic interpretation was "take a definite step towards a change in your direction". So I have decided to get together a body of work and get my self a gallery show. I would like to apply for Canada Council Creation Grants at some point in the future, Which means that in order to be eligible, I need to be creating. I need to have a body of work. And I need to have been "recognized by my peers" which I take to mean having had a show or two. I have an idea for my first BIG project that I will need cash for and I guess that now is a good time to start on prototypes. I have started by needle felting a hand that is modeled on my own. It is much harder than I thought. I have done needle felting before, but my creations were rather soft. This past summer I did an artist in residency week term with Kim Vose Jones. I wish that I had photos of her creations to show here. They are magical. She takes mythical creatures and creates them out of felt. The average size is about 10 inches high and into each goes about a pound of fleece! These things are FIRM. Who knew? So I decided to make my new hand firm. I have worked about 6 hours on it and I now have a general hand shape. I have to start building up the pads on the palm and nuckles on the back. The fingers are still a little thick too. Can't have thick fingers now can we? I am uncertain as to what to do once I past the wrist. Right now, it is still pretty loose fleece. I am keeping my options open and my fleece unfelted for now.

M is still on my loom, although I have seen very little progress lately. I am going to have to light a fire under her butt. I want my loom back to start weaving for my show. Where and when???? Who knows. I just know that it is going to happen.

1 comment:

Jackie said...

Not yet, although I can take digital picts with the video camera. I just have to get the hubbie to show me how. And then how to get it onto the computer, and then onto the blog. I am afraid that I am a techno weenie.