Pondering Future Career Moves…

Something no one tells you when you enter college (especially art school) but should: You need to know what you want to do when you graduate. That way you can spend the next two years developing your work and building a strong portfolio for employers. That’s where I am right now–two years of school left to decide where I want to go and what I want to do. My post-graduation options are many and varied, but right now I am leaning a few directions.

A: Develop a portfolio based on designing and constructing children’s toys, accessories, bedding, etc.

B: Develop a portfolio based on designing and constructing home interior pieces like embroidered pillows, bedding, etc.

C: Develop a mixed portfolio with textile design and construction with my patterns (ie Denyse Schmidt’s quilts)

or my back-up plan

D: Continue on to a Master’s degree in Waldorf Education, concentration Handwork.

Lots of options…where will I go?

Inspiration: A New Favourite Song

Simple things are waiting
For the one who wants it so
You bet your bottom dollar
It’ll cost less than you know

Blue hearts blue tears
Blue ‘n’ bruised ‘n’ sore
Blue skies waiting
On the other shore

A simple life’s no mystery
Confusion lies without
Get washed in the water
Feel your light pour out

Do I know how
How will I know
Cast the ropes that bind you
Get in that boat and row

Forsake not what’s around you
For simple is close at hand
You might get tossed on water
But keep your heart peeled for land

Blue hearts blue tears
Blue ‘n’ bruised ‘n’ sore
Blue skies and blossoms
On the other shore

–Violet Archers, “Simple”

Quilting.

Future career?

That is all.

Inspiration: “How To Be an Artist”

Inspiration: Farm Girl

From this month’s MaryJane’sFarm magazine:

I feel most like a farmgirl when…

…I put on my apron first thing in the morning and start my projects for the day–even if I have to carry my cell phone in the pocket.
…I get dirt on my knees and hands while planting in the garden.
…I can my tomatoes and make jams and jellies.
…I find ways to be more frugal and healthy, for my family and my environment.
…I work on craft projects, creating things with my own two hands.
…I put a healthy meal on the table and know where it all came from–whether veggies and eggs from here or meat bought from neighbors’ farms.
…I lie in my hammock and listen to the clapping leaves, playing kids, mooing cows…and NOTHING else.
…I go to the farmers’ market with a truckload of fresh veggies I have just harvested and I still have dirt under my nails and on my shoes.
…I pick raspberries in the early morning and they are shining like jewels in the dew and early sunshine.
…I can teach my children something my grandma taught me.
…I look in my pantry at the end of the summer and know we will be well-fed through the winter.
…I go outside and am one with our beloved Earth.
…I measure, mark, and cut a piece of wood just right and nail it to my new chicken coop, dreaming about the chicks who’ll live there come spring.
…I’m content with just what I have.

a few unrelated things

After reviewing my last post, I found some obvious correlations between my childhood fascinations. They tend to be about small objects in small containers, or compartmentalization. Now that I think about it, that’s a fairly common childhood “like”–being a little squirrel who can put a little treasure in the slightest nook and cranny. And it’s carried over into my adult life, I realize. I currently have teeny glass jars housing my rainbow paperclips, pushpins, and rubber bands. My supplies have their own bins and baskets. Change is kept in a little baby food jar. So. Now that I have this knowledge, how can I translate it into my work? I’ve been thinking of making some mixed media dioramas in jars and cloches. A severe departure from the norm, but it’s calling to me. We’ll see.

My need to reconnect to the past has been bugging me even more lately. I sometimes wonder if I was reincarnated, and in a past life I was a happy farm wife of the 40’s. That time period and lifestyle reaches out to me and pulls me in, and it feels so much like second nature. I’ve been toying with the idea lately of having a sheep farm someday. A small flock for wool, which I could clean, spin, and dye myself. Maybe it’s less of the 40’s appealing to me and more of my need for self-sufficient simplicity appealing to the 40’s? This vintage apron pattern from tie one on made my heart leap with happiness. A friend of mine is having her birthday party, with a theme to “dress as your alter-ego”…if I were invited, my alter-ego would be in a floral day dress with cowboy boots, a vintage apron, and a big mixing bowl in hand, complete with wooden spoon.

Inspiration: Childhood Interests

It occurred to me today that I should look to my past to find inspiration for my future. I already do that WAY in the past–looking to my ancestors, artisan craft, etc. But in the more recent past, the things I loved as a child can really still fuel my imagination today.

As a child, I loved…

…time capsules

…test tubes

…dioramas

…terrariums (terraria?)

…stamps

…miniatures of any kind

…library card catalogues

Inspiration: From Nifty

My good friend, the ultra talented Caitlin Bell of Nifty Kid Stuff made me these amazingly cute gnome finger puppets for Christmas! Aren’t they awesome? Caitlin makes a large range of finger puppet designs out of felt, and I told her a few months ago how much I would love a gnome finger puppet and that she should make them. Well, she must have taken notes because she surprised me with not one, but a whole family of five gnomes! Designed just for me! ENTIRELY HAND STITCHED! I feel so special. These little fellas are set up all around my drafting desk at the moment, keeping watch over my procrastination and doing a pretty shoddy job of cleaning the place up at night, I must say. But darn, they’re cute!

Thanks, Caitlin!

Inspiration: Eye Candy

Catching Up

Hi, did you miss me? I’m still here in the land of the living! Profuse apologies for the lack of updates (I can’t say that I’ve been too busy, but I’ve kept myself occupied). Here are the visual hilights of the past few months:

In other news, I wasn’t accepted into either exhibition, but oh well. I’m not too disappointed since I’m only a Sophomore–I’m just glad to be involved and put my name out there. I don’t always feel recognized or accepted in my department…there is a very obvious split between upper and lower classmen. So I’ve been trying to get as involved as possible.

More soon! (I promise!)