Category: 2023 Weekly Project

Fifty Two Creative Ideas and Sources of Inspiration for 2023

2023 – My Weekly Project

Week 17 – Make a Felted Pod

I derive a great deal of enjoyment from the process of felt making. In particular the process of wet felting rather than needle felting. It offers so much scope for experimentation and combination of various materials. The outcome is never quite what you expected. Sometimes it is preferable not to expect any specific outcome.

The brief is simple and straight forward. I have made pods before, but how to do it a little differently? Once I had sourced the required equipment and set up my space to work, I had the enjoyable task of sourcing the wools from the stock cupboard.

It Takes Time and Work

Over the past year or two while my time and energy has been directed in other areas of my life I have done very little felt making. Quite quickly into the process I remembered the amount of physical energy and time required to make a pod. There are various stages to work through before it is completely felted and reduced in size from its original dimensions.

Work from Rest

Rest and Work

My experience of wet felting has taught me that it is as important to leave the work resting and return to work with it again. This can be minutes, several hours later or even overnight. By coincidence I picked up a booklet this week about an alternative approach and mindset to the way we should work and rest.

In this age of speed we all seem to be filling our time with work and activity. When we are exhausted and have to stop we find ourselves at “rest from work”. But when we turn this simple statement around it looks and feels very different. So that we “work from rest”.

Working from Rest

So this week I have adopted a slightly different approach to my daily life. I am reshaping my days with adequate rest so that the times of work are more enjoyable, more focussed and the outcome of this particular piece reflects that change.

It’s not quite a traditional “pod”. It is experimental and now sits quietly on the shelf in my studio as a reminder of the mindful change I have made in my approach to “work from rest”

Balance

Perhaps if our time of rest is of equal quality to that of our time of work we can reshape our every day into something more balanced. Originally I was going to put the small piece of felt that I cut out to make the opening of this pod on the underneath. The reason I didn’t was that it didn’t seem to balance too well. But now that I have written this piece I think I will remove it from the top of the pod and relocate it underneath and title the piece “rest, work, balance”.

2023 – My Weekly Project

Week 16 – Attend a Creative Class or Workshop

Being around other creative people is very important. It provides an opportunity to share skills, knowledge and expertise.

Workshops and opportunities for learning new skills or progressing with existing ones are springing up all over the place. But which ones to join in with or attend regularly?

Life Drawing

A good friend and printmaker happened to see a life drawing session which was being held fortnightly in a village hall just a short drive from home. We decided to go together initially.

It’s a lovely warm hall, plenty of natural light, a good group of fellow creatives all fascinated and challenged by life drawing. Everyone’s style is different and for 3 hours we can focus and work without interruption. However we do stop for a coffee break and a chance to look at each other’s work and approach.

Regular Attendance

I began attending this group fortnightly in February and at each session we begin with 3 or 4 poses of 2 minutes. Quick observation and mark making is needed to begin with. This is followed by 2 or 3 poses of 5 minutes and then we move on to poses of 10 minutes, 20 minutes and after the coffee break 30 minutes.

I do enjoy the challenge of life drawing from the human model. Sometimes it does not go well. At other times a series of quickly drawn lines can capture so much life, form, emotion, strength, movement and beauty.

Looking and Learning

I thoroughly enjoy the sessions and it’s reassuring to see the other artists attending regularly. There is a relaxed atmosphere and when the drawing begins the intensity of concentration and creative energy is all around the room. Sometimes I get over anxious about the timed sessions and how much I want to achieve before the timer goes off. But today was different. I found time to focus on specific aspects, in particular, the head and how it fits onto the neck. The angle of the hands and how difficult they are to draw. The importance of our feet.

The head, hands and feet = the mind, making and mobility.

Looking back over my drawings I can see considerable improvement. My observation is much better and I am not afraid to move a line or change its angle. All too often there is not enough space on the paper for the legs and feet. But no time is wasted. Every minute is used to capture an aspect of the human form.

2023 – My Weekly Project

Week 15 – Drawing from a Distance

This year I have been attending a regular fortnightly life drawing group. We all set up our easels or drawing boards and there is a tendency to work close to our support.

So what happens when we give ourselves a bit more distance?

Setting Up

For this week’s challenge I attached a length of paper to the outside of my studio using a staple gun. A piece of charcoal was bound to the end of a stick with masking tape. It was around 4pm, a little cool but the sun was still shining.

Our garden is surrounded by trees. I just love being in the company of trees and I have two very close to my studio. A natural choice of subject for my distance drawing.

Lines of Enquiry

I began by simply looking at the tree beside me. My first marks on the paper were light as I worked out the balance of the stick and charcoal. A bird sang out loud and clear. I thanked it for it’s encouragement.

The lower part of the trunk of the tree showed quite clearly the ageing process. Further up the “rings” around the trunk softened and it was interesting to note the junction where a branch had grown out and away. Intense growth lines indicated the amount of energy in a short space of time needed to give life and direction to this new offshoot.

Drawing and thinking go hand in hand. The tree exhibited it’s early life and growth through many seasons. The strength and resilience to support and give life to the many branches going off in all directions. There is also the promise of lots of wonderful foliage to look forward to in the coming months. Hopefully to give much needed shade in the warm sunny days.

More Space = More Understanding

Standing further away from the support I was more comfortable than I expected to be. Working outside was also liberating. After the long winter confined to indoor life it is so important to get outside.

During this challenge I have gained a new appreciation and understanding for the need at times for periods of intense working to add a fresh branch to creative thought, skills and knowledge.

The work has been left in situ for the time being. I can see it from the cottage and it will encourage me to extend my studio space out into the garden in the coming weeks.

2023 – My Weekly Project

Week 14 – Go Bird Watching

For my birthday last year I asked for a new pair of binoculars. The winter months are not easy for bird watching, especially if it’s cold and wet. But I do enjoy spotting a bird that is not familiar and finding out what it is.

A Different Location

Our regular garden visitors are quite easy to spot and identify. For this week’s project I ventured to Hayle Estuary. The tide was low, it was early afternoon and I felt a bit dismayed that there was not a lot of activity. However it gave me an opportunity to look closer at the birds I did see. Firstly nine curlews feeding together in a group. These birds are on the RSPB red list. This means they are in most urgent need of help. They were a distance from where I was but with my binoculars I was able to study them and do some characterful drawings.

Other Species

I watched a pair of Sheldrakes or Shelducks sourcing food along the sandbank. They covered quite a distance but always remained close together. These birds are of moderate concern and are on the amber list. They are also protected by The Wildlife Countryside Act 1981 and were found in the Old World.

There were plenty of seagulls, a raven or two, some jackdaws with their distinctive beady eye, Canada Geese and a pair of mallards. But the highlight at the end of the walk was a Little Egret. The breeze was blowing its feathers and head plumes all over the place. It was quite close to the shoreline and with my binoculars I had a fantastic view. It was alone and wading through the mud. I found out later that this bird has yellow feet. Something to look out for next time. And the good news is that this bird is on the green list, which means that it is showing no signs of decline in its numbers.

Spring Season Activity

The spring is a great time to get out and about and take a closer look at our wonderful wildlife. But keep your distance and do not disturb any nesting birds. Only this afternoon the first house sparrow was seen disappearing into our roof space. They nest every year at both ends of the cottage. It’s pure delight to have them so close to us. And it’s also pure delight to sight a bird that is less familiar and to enjoy what they have to offer.

Hayle Estuary – a great place for a spot of bird watching

Conservation List

I found the information on the RSPB’s conservation list very useful. The greater our awareness of the species that are endangered the more we can do to care for the environments they need in order to flourish. It also makes it extra special when you do sight a species that is in decline or of concern.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/uk-conservation-status-explained/