Back In The Studio Groove

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure there was much of a groove to the studio at all, before now. My creative endeavours were only coming in fits and starts and it seemed like as fast as an idea or inspiration would come to me, I'd pick up the pencil and it was gone. I felt like things came to a creative 'rest' of sorts after my father died--nearly six years ago. Our art was something we shared with each other; we belonged to the same gallery groups. We did shows together. Even though our styles were very different, our artistic temperaments were similar. We would sit and talk and throw ideas out and hash over paintings and sketches and things that were inspiring us or blocking us and it always came out right in the end. After he died I felt lost artistically. I couldn't find my muse for a while and then when she did return to me, I just couldn't find my groove. It's strange that somehow my mother's passing has initiated this fire in me right now. I'm back to keeping a sketchbook by the bed and a few Moleskine books in my current purse and another sketchbook downstairs and one in the studio...just so that I'm never without something to hand to put all these ideas into. The photo above of is one of the easels in my studio, loaded with works in various states of progress. There is also a worktable with wood blocks being prepped for more pieces like this one below. This is an inspiration that hit me late last week. She's a little Christmas-In-June angel done in coloured pencil on a vintage book page.

Her name is Juniper...as in the wonderful smelling berries and branches. She's a lovely thing who flowed so easily from my pencils to the paper. Thank you Juniper. Her wood block came from a huge bag of precut blocks that I'd bought ages ago to mount rubber stamps on. Anyway, they sat in my studio like so many other things, gathering dust...and then, the other day, in a fit of straightening up I found them again. And here's what came of that re-discovery.

I think she is just so sweet. I'm off to draw some sisters for her. It feels so good to be back in my studio with a strong sense of direction for my art.

I wonder if--in some way--bringing in all the things from my mothers craft room--her easel, her sewing machine, her sketchbooks and paints, etc. has re-invigorated me.Having these things around me, with me...along with old brushes and paints from my dad...has made me feel like they're encouraging me to keep creating. And there's also the thought that you truly have to sieze this one day and make the most of the gifts it brings you.

Carpe Diem.