letting go

Two of my pieces left their spots on my design wall this past week. They travel to new eyes with an invisible thread to my thoughts.

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Don't Go in the Basement, 17" x 16.25" ©2015 Paula Kovarik

Don't Go in the Basement was inspired by a drawing by Jeremy. The wide-mouthed, eyes-focused grin monster leaps out and anchors the lower right corner of this small piece. It is one of the first of my children's drawings projects and is dear to my heart. I know the new owner also loves the piece so I am satisfied it is where it belongs.

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Move That Thing, 16" x 11.5", ©2015 Paula Kovarik

My friend Etta owns Move That Thing. These quirky, moving-parts bodies remind me to jitter along when I see it. The talented artist, Amelia, drew the wonderful fish-eat-fish pair at the bottom right. And that sun in the upper right is by the ever sunny Derin. These two artists inspire me to let the inner child out every so often.

I will miss these pieces. When people ask me why I make art I often say it is because I have to.
I am eager to create. I also like to show it, share it and let it journey on. This gives it a life of its own.

indecision and transformation

When my mother died I was left to sort through her memorabilia. Photos galore, many with folks I don't know. Scraps of projects she didn't finish. And many she did. A clay duck I gave her when I was in grammar school, a set of tattered Dresden dolls my father gave her when they were courting. Love letters in a shoe box and years of calendars with circled dates and jottings documenting her life. As I sorted I realized that these little scraps represented some of the best parts of her life. The parts we can't put a name to. The ones that change the quality of life for the good. Even though she noted the fender benders and catastrophes of her life on the calendars she also noted PTA meetings, bridge games, birthdays, and celebrations. She strived for balance, reminding all who would listen that life was good.

Derin's tile

So when my grandson gave me this tile as a present for Mother's day I wondered if it would end up in the things-you-can-never-throw-away pile. I use it at my desk for my coffee (he pointed out many times that it was to be used as a coaster). Yesterday it inspired this piece. A study about indecision, balance, ambition and transformation. I'm still thinking about what the title will be. For now it will sit in the do-not-discard pile. Because it was inspired by Derin. And it comes from within.

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©2015, Paula Kovarik

With a little help from Jeremy

Continuing my work with children's drawings and abstract backgrounds.

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A before photo of the environment created for the drawings. The pieced fabric is composed of random scraps of solid colored fabrics. The striations of black stitching across the piece are based on stitching a straight line at every intersection of two fabrics. This black on black texture is hard to see in this shot. The piece is about 17 inches square.

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An after shot: where the drawings populate the surface with mystery. That pointy headed smiling guy in the lower right corner was drawn by the very talented Jeremy. Thanks, Jeremy, for your contribution to my art. The piece will be called Don't Go in the Basement.

suns and spiders

Some progress today on my children's project.
Read about it here.

vanishing points

I am working on more than one project at at time. It helps to reinvigorate my creative perspective. Some of the work is being pieced. Some stitched. Some bound. Some reconstructed. But lately I wonder if this is too scattered, too disparate for satisfaction. Am I adding too many vanishing points to my brain?

Studying a bit about perspective led me to this diagram which resonated with my state of mind. Source: Principles of Perspective by Walters & Bromham.

I haven't completed a piece in over 4 months. At the same time I have started at least five. Two are lingering on the what-was-I-thinking design board. One is a mass of hand stitching detail that takes hours of concentration and can only be done in a meditative state. One is an experiment that opened a completely new direction for exploration. The children's drawing project has three rough compositions in place waiting for final decisions on treatment. Another has such a deep and complex vision for completion that I am not sure how I will be able to pull it off (I spent the last week learning how to tie fishing nets so that I can add a net to the piece.)

So, what to do?

Is chaos a productive mindset or should I strive for focus? Can multiple points of view cloud the simple solution? Is this exploration a way to avoid decision?  And, is this the reason why I can't get a good nights sleep? Too many synapses firing ... too many vanishing points. I have this vision of being tied up in threads that are weblike over the studio, finally engulfing me in my medium. Maybe it's best I don't add a cot to the workspace. You might find me stitched in.  (hmmm...another idea to pursue?)

Paging through a book on perspective (bought at a library sale years ago) I found this child's drawing on the back endpapers. Her name may be Crystal (written in on another page of the book).

I cut up a linen tablecloth to create squares and triangles of shattered shapes as a next step in the Traveling Unknown Pathways idea. I love the contrast of the linen against the black fabric. 

I am 90% done with a quilt guild challenge in which we were to design a flag that represents our creative journey.

SPRUNG! More distractions coming our way. The first crocus burst into yellow yesterday.