I have made a habit of looking back at my accomplishments, or lack thereof each year (Although I try not to dwell on the "lack" part). My first intuitive thought is that I really didn't do much, art-wise. I spent more time hanging out on the couch watching TV with my husband than I have in past years, thought at least some of that time I was stitching bindings and burying threads. I consciously allowed myself to "do whatever I want." I found that I was tired of that voice in my head telling me I "should" be working in the studio, or I "should" be achieving 20 hours a week.
If I know anything about myself it is that I will always resist authority even if it is my own authority I am resisting.
So I was surprised when I looked through my Master Quilt Inventory spreadsheet, and saw all the boxes saying 2015. I'm a little bit obsessive with this inventory, but I'm glad because it's shown my that while I didn't feel productive, I actually achieved a decent amount considering the portion of time and energy my job demands these days.
Of course there were the two weeks of Crow workshops in March. I felt that I made progress there, and actually finished four quilt tops in the workshop. I was pretty pleased with the final piece although of course when it came to the review my proportions were not quite "dead on." Sigh.
After Crow, I began participating in Lisa Call's Greenhouse. I have enjoyed getting to know several of my classmates better, but have not really put the effort into the artwork and artwork reviews that I should have, to get my money's worth. And the class facebook group is not very active. While she can work from anywhere, I have the sense that Lisa's falling in love and moving to New Zealand has been a distraction for her. I'm not planning to do any sort of ongoing Master Class for the next year, I will see how setting my own goals works, knowing that work is going to have to take priority for another year.
The most exciting thing for me was to start getting my work out into the world. It was a good year for steps in that direction.
- In February I submitted Busy Signal for the (non-juried) Allied Arts Membership show.
- In March I was asked to donate a piece for a fundraising auction, which I did. - It was an early improv piece.
- In June, Busy Signal, Green Field and Tipping Point were accepted into the Jansen Art Center Early Summer Juried show. I was pretty thrilled about that.
- I decided to keep trying, and in the Fall I submitted four of the Asemia pieces which were also accepted. I attended a group critique for artists of that show and recieved very good, positive feedback.
- And, then the two small Wired pieces and Islands were accepted for the Late Winter Show.
- In October the group quilt Petunia Patch traveled to the IQF in Houston.
 |
| Wired #2 |
 |
| Wired #3 |
I finished quilting binding, labeling and sleeving the two small Wired pieces, and the Asemia pieces all got labels and sleeves as did several other stray pieces that had been lingering for months or years.
 |
| Proun #1 |
 |
| Proun #3 |
 |
| Proun #2 |
In September/October I took an on-line class from Elizabeth Barton called, "Dying to Design." I liked the class and her teaching style a lot. She gave very clear and specific instructions and assignments. I didn't do too well, I only got the first two assignments done as far as dying and only one of the five assigned pieces made, but I know that would happen, too much work. I was pleased with "Islands" which I made from the gradation of dyed fabric in the first assignment.
 |
| Islands |
This was my first and so far only foray into the Map Quilt idea which I've ruminated on for years. The islands were very curvy and would have been impossible to piece, so I used a raw edge applique technique. After doing it, I was ready to go back to piecing. I guess I just like the structure of making pieces that can be pieced and figuring out how to do it. So I don't really see Map Quilts and piecing coming together. Yet, anyway.
Besides the Prouns, I have been working a bit at a time on a giant 24-color color wheel piece. I have 6 colors done. It's very interesting and challenging to try to find the needed gradations of hue and value. A couple were "cheaters" - gradations that I bought from a dyer. But the rest I am going to try to do out of Kona and other solids. Train my eye to see better.
In the "regular" quilting area, I spent a lot of time on the Almond Country Beauties. I'm took on this block of the month thing and then felt like I had to see it through. It was an easy no-brainer thing to do, but I regret having spent so much time on it. The scrappy top still needs three more borders before being completed, the solid colored one was coming along until a plumbing leak ended up hitting the bin it was in, causing a lot of red fabric to bleed onto its neighbors. Sigh. I will NOT take on another big non-art project in 2016.
In the world outside of art, I was very successful this year in getting an exercise routine underway and actually sticking to it for the second half of the year. I started using the rowing machines, and find I really enjoy that, and enjoy the challenge of beating my previous time. We shall see if it survives the holiday time off I have given myself.
That's a wrap! On to 2016. I've started a new series today!
