a little conversation

Today in north central Massachusetts it is breezy and warm. The sun is shining. I was sitting in the backyard. Behind the sounds of the road and my husband working on one of the motorcycles I heard woodpeckers. Woodpeckers on either side of the property. One would taptaptapaptaptpatpatap and then the other would taptaptpatpatpatptptaptap. One was on a decidedly hollow-ish tree, the other not. They were talking to each other. It was quite a lengthy conversation. "How'd you do this winter?" "Not bad, how about you?".....

I drifted off to thinking about the latest whole cloth map piece I have been working on. When I was reminded that really successful pieces are conversations. The elements converse with each other. It goes back and forth. They are congenial. They get along. They wonder how each other's winters were.

When you can hear the conversation you know the piece is working.

Focus

I was talking with my friend Chris the other day. Chris is a felt artist of the highest order, owner of New England Felting Supply/www.feltingsupply.com and an all around fun and fabulous woman. We were talking about blogs and how so many of the blogs she comes across lack focus. Which made me go back and read my blog. I wouldn't call it fuzzy (the opposite of in focus). It has jumped around-'let's show Chirps, let's show trees, let's show quilts'. Do you sense a pattern here? Yeah, there is no pattern. And what is that saying about me? What do I want my work to say about me? What baffles me is when I am working at a job-job, focus is my middle name. "Get the job done". When it comes to art I jump on the wind and let me take it where it will.

Which is why there are days I walk into the studio and just don't know what to do. So I make a tote bag. Anybody want a tote bag? I seem to be accumulating a lot of tote bags.

This mental exercise has led me to let go of the Chirps. Fly, be free. I will be selling the remaining chirps at the Orange Innovation Center Open Studio and Artisan Sale on March 27 at 10:00am at OIC on West Main St. Orange, MA.

Three cheers for more focus. I am not done. More down the path.

Thanks, Chris.

Bleach

If you haven't discovered the power of the Bleach Pen don't wait much longer. Fun, fun, fun-albeit toxic fun-so make sure you have windows open or use it outside.

I am awaiting discharge paste from Pro-Chem, but I couldn't wait.

Today the I hit some black linen, blue cotton and a Hoffman batik.

Love it!