What Henry Miller Said Writers (read, artists, you) Need for Focus

Say no more (except thanks to the Tweeters who were twittering this around yesterday):

More on Flow and Pause -- With Paula Owen

Pause / Flow from Mark & Angela Walley on Vimeo.

Here's a lovely video piece featuring Southwest School of Art director Paula Owen that relates to our recent musings on flow, focus and what feeds the mind. If Paula can get to the studio, so can I, so can you!

Save the date...

Coming to an internet near you:

Text on Textiles online 4 classes (5ths optional and free) at JOGGLES. 

And more specifically here. http://www.joggles.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=75_1235&products_id=23449

Start Date: Thursday March 15, 2012
Class: Text On Textiles
Instructor: Susie Monday
Cost: $45/4 lessons

This class is scheduled to begin on March 15, 2012.

NOTE: This class requires use of an all-in-one printer/copier or desktop copier with the ability to enlarge and reduce printed images. The techniques used make use of copies and prints from such a copier/printer. Optional techniques included also involve use of a computer and digital camera.

Have you ever wanted to incorporate a favorite word, poem or quote into an art quilt, garment, art doll or other textile project -- going beyond simply writing or embroidering the text? Or do letter forms and shapes appeal to your sense of design? This surface design/mixed media class will give you a set of process tools for making text and words an integral part of artfully designed fabrics that you can use in a wide variety of projects.

Starting with design exercises that encourage a unique expression of your creativity and interests, you’ll learn three specific techniques for transfers of text, words and writing to fabric using ink-jet printing, polymer medium and textile paints. 

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS

As I look at my poster "Commit Time, Space, Focus, Money," it occurred to me that I could explore each of these words in a few posts -- and look for what others (a few others) have said about each of those words and concepts, what might prove helpful to me, and helpful to others.

And because I came across a wonderful post from Jane Dunnewold on her blog about focus, I'm going to start there. (It certainly resonates with "commit,"as well!)

We all (fiber, mixed media artists) know the seduction of materials and tools. Unlike the painter, who pretty much gets to choose between oil and acrylic and watercolor, we fiber/mixed media artists, like performance artists among others, see the world as our tool box, the hardware store, the art store, the grocery store, the Dollar Store, all opportunities for tools, colors, embellishments and attachments. Not to mention the myriad of techniques, new stuff and new approaches that arrive each month in the mail, and each morning on the web.

The solution for me: Choose. Stop trying ANYTHING NEW for a set space of time (Despite my intention to try something new each day, it won't be in the studio on a piece of fabric). I am easily seduced by the idea of trying a new resist, a new paint, a new approach and it often pays off with good work. But until that tool/medium/pigment/approach has at least a hundred hours behind it, it's probably not going to be GREAT work. I have enough in my tool box and on my shelves and in my bins right now for hundreds of pieces of art cloth and art quilts. Not to mention the two big bins of thermofax designs, sketches for work, ideas for stamps. SO choose.

Focus is also about coming into the studio with intent and, for me, with a one word or two word idea of what I will achieve in the next 4 hours; maybe it is just cleaning and sorting, or working on marketing, or it's getting the design of a new art quilt onto the design table. But when I don't make a focus, I tend to bounce around doing a bit of this and that and then hearing the siren call of laundry or putting on a slow cooker meal or digging around in the garden. Focus, focus, focus.

Today's Focus is completing a blog, first (done), then getting my calendar complete through March.  Two words: BLOG, CALENDAR. After that, I'll be headed out for four days of teaching Central American Youth (and their Texas hosts) though the CAYA program, with a couple of days spent at the wonderful, restorative and internet free zone of Selah, the Bamberger Ranch and Environmental Education Center.  Pictures coming, soon!