With all this sunshine and blue skies I’ve been finding it hard to settle in and stay focused on work. There’s been more time in front of the computer than in the studio. More time administrating than making. More time sitting than moving. I’m finding it necessary to make getting into nature and making time to create part of my daily routine. If I don’t, I find myself wandering around the house, starting this project before abandoning it for that. Never finishing anything. Rebelling. Resisting. Habits and rituals are becoming more important to getting things done, to keeping me balanced, focused. Good things take time.
Time spent in the forest, combing the beach has always fuels my work to be sure. Lately my thoughts lately have been filled with old growth trees, the shape of a whale’s fin and the physics of light on water. My hands are struggling to keep up. Bringing an idea to tangible form takes time.
I’ve started making it a point to get those ideas out of my head and into my sketchbook, my pinterest page. Cleaning space for me to think.
Lately I’ve been thinking on:
- women who walk in the woods - who live, work and play the backwoods and fjords of our coastline
- wild woman archetype - I’m reading this book (public library) and am finding the stories fascinating, the symbolism in the stories fascinating, fuel for my work to be sure
- the individual shape of a whale’s fin - specifically that of the killer whale, which marks that make an individual whale identifiable?
- ocean waves - the physics of light reflecting and refracting in water, 2D renditions of waves
- ancient coastal forests - Douglas fir trees, cedars, arbutus trees, undergrowth of sword ferns and salal
- hidden messages - secret meanings, shared only between the maker and the woman who wears it
- talismans and amulets - items to layer meaning upon; memory, strength, history, intention, joy, beauty