I’m not sure how middleofJanuary happened without me noticing. Maybe it’s the lack of snow, or cold, or the fact that I’ve been happily distracted for the last few months. There’s no place I’d rather be right now. Not that the fall was void of art in my life, but there was definitely a settling down and needed pause taking place.
The fall involved working on a major donation, prepping for an art market, and focusing on making Christmas presents. And food. Always food.
Autumn began with a donation of an original painting to the Collins Center’s annual Disco Gala fundraiser.
Autumn Light
32 x 40 | acrylic & plaster on canvas
Next up was a return to the pottery wheel and jewelry bench to prepare for Larkin Arts’ annual Holiday Art Market. I have never participated in a craft fair/art market of any kind, and I enjoyed the challenge of creating a large body of work for sale. However, the introverted part of me had no desire to sit vulnerably with my work for 5 hours and make conversation with strangers.
Over the last few months, I have been working my way through the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking and the author says in the introduction “If there’s only one insight you take away from this book, I hope it’s a newfound sense of entitlement to be yourself.” Through many years of being asked if I had ever thought of selling my work at the farmer’s market, X, Y, or Z craft markets, etc, I always wondered what was wrong with me that I didn’t pursue those opportunities, even if it meant making a significant income in a single day. So for what it was worth, I gave it a shot. It may very well be the last. And I’m more than OK with that now.
In December, all efforts turned to Christmas presents. I’ve always been a gift giver and particularly love crafting something by hand with a loved one in mind. A few of the goodies below…
And a few upcycled gifts for my parents.
Earrings for my mom with chain made from the staples used in her pacemaker surgery this fall.
Dad’s sheets (from a hospital stay in Panama 5 years ago) turned rag rug.
And the food. My sweetie cooks me amazing meals all the time that I just cannot compete with. The best I can do is offer up a creative dessert, which has turned out to be just about as fun as making art. And it tastes good. Win win.
A raw pumpkin chocolate “cheesecake” for Thanksgiving and a chocolate beet cake with chocolate avocado icing for Christmas.
The next few months are looking to be another busy time. In the midst of taking several online design classes, I’ll also be participating in Spitzer Art Center’s 6x6x30 show that will open in March at VMRC. For those of you who haven’t heard of this show, all participating artists commit to making one 6×6 inch piece a day for 30 days. I’m cautiously looking forward to this torture.
Last but not least, I’m looking forward to the birth of a dear friend’s baby in February and have been getting crafty. The beginnings of something exciting below…
