"Out of the Box"

Last January our InspiredArts Guild had a discussion about what we wanted for the coming year (2012).  Here we are beginning 2013 and its time to go back and see how each of us met the challenge of 'getting out of the box'. 

My statement, a year ago went something like this: "I focused too much on production in 2011".  My ways of jumping out of the box for 2012 were:  not doing any shows; trying new kinds of projects; developing punchneedle further.

Here's what actually happened this past year.  I did end up doing two shows - but I used pieces that I had made earlier so there was no production line going on in my studio and the only deadlines I had were to get the paperwork in on time.

Then I really jumped out of the box because I put punchneedle aside and moved on to some stitcheries early in the year.  From there I went into doll construction - first with a few 'stuffies' and then to a whole batch of cloth dolls with costumes that I designed.  Great fun!

As I ended 2012 I found myself still deeply entrenched in doll work - but switching over to paperclay (at least for the head).  This was a huge change for me since cloth has been my medium for years and years and years.  Here I was -getting messy - playing with clay - learning a whole new skill set.

So what do I foresee for 2013?  Hopefully my clay work will improve (it has to as it can't get much worse *smile*).  Hopefully I'll be able to continue exploration of alternative ways to make figures that please me. Perhaps I'll come up with a series of 'out of the box' figures. My overall plan is to work the way I did last year with no timetables to meet nor pressure. 

Let the creativity begin!

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin