Here we are already well into 2019 and I am only just writing my first blog of the year.
To be honest I have been struggling to know how I want to paint recently and I have been hibernating until this week when I decided to give myself some time out to play. If my ideas did not appear to be related to my usual work I have still given myself permission to do it. What I really felt like doing (as opposed to what I thought I should be doing) was to make a patchwork cushion cover for an antique Indian settle that I have in my kitchen! I do love decorative pattern (minimalist looks beautiful – but it’s just not me) and collect textiles whenever I travel. I have various gorgeous pieces made from old Indian saris with embroidery and beads. I decided to look at them in order to plan my own piece.
When I examined one of these fragile patchworks I noticed it had a piece of loose, dark fabric that needed sewing back in place. On closer inspection I realised that it was not a torn scrap of fabric at all- it was the closed wings of a butterfly. It was hibernating- just like me -but on sensing movement it opened its wings to reveal its own beautiful pattern. It looked amazing against the colourful and complex background.
I felt inspired to spread my own wings and begin piecing together all kinds of bits of material that I had squirrelled away. There were too many plain rectangles so I used some Indian woodblocks to print patterns on these and sewed pieces of lace doily to others. I am going to embroider a butterfly on another square in memory of what I had seen. My mind was now racing. What if painted a butterfly on paper (in my usual way) and used it as a paper patchwork piece? What if I made other sections by creating patterns and textures on different types of paper which could be collaged together? What if I embroidered my painting? How about the butterfly having three dimensional paper wings?
Suddenly my stagnant winter brain was churning with ideas. What if it wasn’t a butterfly- but a snowdrop from my garden? I could actually paint a series of snowdrops in different ways.
In this way my hibernating artist self has begun to unfurl. So if you have been feeling like me- try taking a baby step towards doing one small act in order for the log jam to loosen up and let the creative river flow again. It does not need to be a big project- just get going by doing something small that you want to do. You may be surprised how one thing leads to another.
Happy New Creative Year!
