5000 Views on This Blog!

I was checking on things this morning, and noticed that I am at 4999 hits on this blog-if you're reading it, you may be 5000!

There have been lots of changes in the last year, but things are slowly settling down and I'm refocusing on my photography and art. I've done several shoots lately, but had to cancel several others due to fibromyalgia pain. Hopefully plan to make those up in the coming weeks.

Stay creative!

Plus Size Models

I read something yesterday that has kinda been on my mind.

"Plus size models promote obesity."

Ok, I have a few issues with that. Lets compare to the French model body ideal. It hit the news recently that these models will go to almost any length to remain "Paris thin," up to and including staying in the hospital on a drip most of the time, to eating tissues to feel full. How is that not promoting unhealth? OK, now back to reality. The reality is that most women are overweight in America. Most plus size models are still smaller than many women, but have a healthy body, healthy outlook on themselves. It takes guts to go away from the so-called ideal in such a way. Pinterest "Plus size model" and there are many, many absolutely gorgeous women, confident in themselves.

I have found with my own weight, that I tend to lose when I'm feeling good, confident, beautiful which increases the chance I will continue to lose. I gain when I'm eating emotionally, from the opposite of those feelings. So. To me, plus size models increase the good feelings, increase my drive to lose weight, not the opposite.

Thoughts? I'm especially interested in what the models who read this have to say.

Creativity Series: What is the art you WANT to make?

I've come to a realization lately that the art I make is much different than the art I WANT to make. I want to gain a cutesy style, mixed media with a twist of fine art, but cute-not the same as everyone's (No more butterfly winged fairy children photos) but not so entirely different either. The work I make is more gritty, expressionist, surrealist at times. My photography is clean and, well, not that creative. Drawing is something I need to improve on in order to get to the next level in my pursuit of Cute.

Pursuit of Cute. That's a good name for it. I'm not sure why I want to seemingly regress into cutesy, but I do. So many people work to free up their artistic style, which is a wonderful thing. Maybe it was art school's fault, but I need to work on tightening down. My sewing is tightening up, I made the decision starting with my current design, that if I'm going to sew I'm going to do it more accurately than I have in the past, no point in making clothing with bad workmanship.

Seems like I am doing that with several media at the moment. I'm zentangling, which is an interesting study in free vs. tight. I like the free patterns executed tightly, I think. My knitting is getting more accurate over the last year, I need to make another knock out design, like the one for KnitEdge (Out in May). It is very structured, short rows abound, with cables, structured stockinette and garter stitch. There is an amazing kick pleat type slit in the back, very structured, that I happened to knit on the fly. Details are where its at. I did a watercolor of a cutesy bird the other day, next steps on it are to add some of my new pearlescent watercolors to it, then draw on it, maybe even a hand lettered quote! That is something that scares me, writing. My handwriting is terrible but I actually can letter, I need to internalize that difference and GO FOR IT with lettering.

I got a book entitled "Creative Paper Quilts" and have been having the urge to work with paper lately. I may look into alternative media publishing-like paper, beads, etc. I have experience (of course) with getting knitting and crochet published, but I think publishing my other types of work would be so satisfying.

What is your favorite style of art to create? What do you want to create? Why don't you?

Lately...[Wedding in a week]

I've been absent lately, I know, I know. I think about posting pretty regularly but things have been so busy, I've been stretched too thin. The wedding (WHOOT!) is in a week from tomorrow, and things are going great for it. I have a few more things to do but otherwise ready to go. One big thing I have left is music. I'm not sure exactly how to arrange it, I guess I'll download from spotify. I still don't know who's pushing play!

I was going to have an art show this month, but had to cancel. My father passed a few weeks ago, and going to visit him while he was still living took over a week of art time. I'm glad I saw him though, got a bit of closure, and I'm glad he's out of pain.

Coming up is Camp NaNoWriMo, in April. I plan to write Aether's Heir (working title) during the month, and get my career as a writer going!

Lately I haven't really been giving love to my spinning. I was busy doing other things or just never up in my studio. I love spinning really and I was missing it.

So I finally finished spinning this lovely merino silk top from En Ulden Affaere in the colour petroleum. I bought this a while back (aug 2011). I love the colour it is so lovely. I spun it on my Lendrum with a Woolee Winder on the second whorl slot. The plan is to ply it a 2 ply for a shawl. 

I don't usually do the whole amount of fiber at one time when I am spinning, but separate the fiber I have into 1 ounce sections and spin one section at a time, then wind it off onto weaving spools then after I have all of the fiber spun I then will ply them. This gives me "permission" to switch around fibers so that I don't get bored. My spinning tends to be very fine and it can take a while to spin a large amount. Right now I have many different fibers going at once and when I was done with this last ounce I realized that I ran out of spools! Knitking cone winder to the rescue for that last bit and I will hurry and ply that first. 

I love knitting with handspun there is just something about it that is so soothing. From the start this fiber has been destined to be a shawl.

Which shawl would you do with this yarn?

Creativity Series: Renewal

Yesterday, I was invited to photograph a fashion model in downtown Austin, TX by a photog friend. We had a great time talking and laughing, and of course-taking great pictures. For the first time in a while, I feel like I pushed my self creatively with photography, and I pushed my camera/lens to the fullest. I got some great pics, as did my other photog cohort. I couldn't wait to get home and see the photos.

Photographer: Whitney Christmas, Model: Katy Clark, Austin, Texas

 

As far as the ratio of great photos to the whole, I wish I had done better. I had a little issue with lighting and needed more light in most photos. But I did get some really great shots.

There is something that happens when you push creatively for a day or more. When you devote a day to your art medium, with artistic friends and in an inspiring location. A sense of renewal always hits me, and I am so happy and feel relaxed and creative. I want the creative process to continue as long as possible, prolonging the good vibes. Its the same feeling I get going to conventions or museums, only better. This feeling is why I create art with others. So we can share in something greater, a sense of community, and even perhaps contributing to the greater good of art.

When asked what I am professionally, the answer is always "Artist." Art is the mark of civilization and grandeur, excess and frivolity. But it is as essential to my soul as breathing is to my body. That creative renewal of purpose, setting goals and reaching them, is what its all about, and I believe as universal a feeling as "happiness" or "fear."

Photographer: Whitney Christmas, Model: Katy Clark, Austin, Texas

People can reach this feeling through other means, and this feeling is what I call "following your passion/bliss." But, too often we get caught up in the day to day work, even if it is art, and forget to play. Don't do this. Play. Go out. Try something new. And then come back here and share your success.

Where do the lines blur between work and play?

I love to knit. Really. Don't get me wrong, I love to knit. And sew, and sculpt, and bead, and crochet, and... and... and...

I am in the middle of a knitting project now-a design for a magazine-that has a mid-December deadline. And of course, after focusing on my knitting for months, I don't feel like knitting! I have been playing with polymer clay, so much fun. And this morning I made wire earrings, too fun. Knitting. Knitting in the round in stockinette... For miles.. Is not that fun.

I think all of us who do what we love, especially if its multiple media, find times where its just impossible to concentrate. Its a universal fact-when you have to do something, you want to do other. So how can we manage the fidgets and get on with it?

I get up very early in the morning, and find I am the most focused in the wee hours. Therefore, most mornings, I knit. Especially design work-the math and things come together great when I've just woken up at 4 am. If I try to do the same work say, around 4pm, it just isn't going to work. I get more creative toward mid morning (11am) and try to follow that trend as well. Sketching, clay play, etc, have been coming around then. I'm tired after all that, so anything for the rest of the day is something like... stockinette in the round for miles. Requires no thought. I'll turn on a movie and go to town.

It is key to figure out when you're at your best-for a particular task-and follow that muse. It has helped me get routines going for most of the day. Instead of fighting the trends, like trying to do math at 4pm, I go with them. This makes the work more fun and the play more fun. Try it!

When are you at your best for logic work? For creative?