I vastly underestimated how long it would take me to finish my Spring projects. Either that or I underestimated how much life in general would get in the way of my important crafting deadlines. Since we are well into Summer, my Spring Bohemian projects are really now Spring/Summer Bohemian projects. It's a little bit of a bummer as I had some desert themed projects in mind for Summer, but there's always next year!!
WIPs
Despite not wrapping them up, I have made some progress on my projects. I'm close to finishing up the Art Quilt project "Little Selfie on the Prairie". This started with a sketch and then I more or less played it by ear to create a portrait with fabric.
I'd planned to give this a crazy quilt look with some finishing stitches. This has ended up being a little tough with the appliqué layers. I should have done a lot of the crazy stitching on the background fabrics first, then appliquéd the girl and wagon on after, but - you make, you learn right? I'm almost done with the stitching now and I think over all I'm happy with the result.
The knit shawl is in progress. I'm finished with the first color, and have just moved to the next, which is a darker grey. Two more colors after that so it's got a ways to go but this was another project that involved some new techniques to me, so I'm happy to be learning as I go.
Last but not least, the needlepoint bag - it's so much stitching!! I finished one side, I'm almost done with the straps and then it's just ("just") finishing the other side.
At this point I think I'll still be working on this needlepoint bag through the end of the year, but it's so pretty it's worth the time!
Inspiration
I've been reading a book by Lisa Congdon called Finding Your Artistic Voice. It's really helping me identify ways to focus in on what I want my "voice" to be as an artist. I'm realizing that a lot of the things I've been doing this year with the "Bohemian Frontier" articles, some of the WIPs I've prioritized, and the themes I've been creating for each season are all methods I've been using to pursue a concept - I just haven't put everything together into a cohesive "voice".
Lisa Congdon's book recommends some exercises to get you to work through your inspirations, practice what interests you and get to that original idea or style that makes your art your own. One of the exercises she recommends is making a "Family Tree" of your inspiration - making each branch one of the things you're inspired by. I loved that idea but decided to make it an inspiration quilt drawing.
Congdon also has lots of interviews with other artists who give great advice on the process of creativity. Overall, Im loving the book and I think even as a hobbyist I enjoy what I'm making so much more when everything is kind of clicking together and I think her books helps get you to that place.
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