Finding time & balance

I've been very busy lately with travel and various obligations that I haven't had time to invest in new work. I'm feeling pulled in too many directions and unfortunately the one direction I need to head in the most, the studio, has been out of reach. Because of this, I'm feeling a bit out of sorts. I find this happens to me when I'm "out of balance"; that is, I'm not taking care of my creative needs on a regular basis. I need to set up a schedule so that I stop putting my studio time after everything else gets done.

Also, I've decided to take a different direction from my usual way of working and give up control, for an anticipated outcome, and just try to see what happens through "play" and experimentation. Having focused on printing editions, I feel it's time to loosen up and explore the unpredictability of monotypes. So, with this in mind I plan to get back in the studio next week and refocus my direction and hopefully recalibrate my psyche.

Company in the Woods

Ahhh, spring is in the air and a young turkey's fancy turns to .....

This fine specimen showed up in the woods just outside my back deck, in all his feathered splendor, and spent some time strutting around trying to attract some attention. Quite the sight! Sorry to say that when a female finally did show up, she looked him over and keep on walking. Well, there's always another day.

So Much Rejection

Well, it's been a time of rejections for me. I sent three prints off to the IPCNY New Prints / 2010 Spring and received word last week that they weren't accepted. This morning I received an email notice from the Center for Contemporary Printmaking that my submission for the 2010 Footprint International had been rejected. It's all up to the preferences of the judges and in the art world, you've got to be able to take rejection.

So, it's back to the drawing board (and the printing press!)

"Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some way will be translated back into your work." James Lee Burke