This week had a bit of all the usual stuff. But then I realized there was something vital missing: sketching, playing, doodling — how did I let a week go by without it?

Revising

Here’s where I did spend lots of time. I’ve been working on a digital version of my Aerials series, fighting the itch to be done already. I reviewed my current pieces, and bestowed and retracted some star ratings. I also showed it to my studio mate — just the act of preparing a set for show is such a good exercise.

I managed to pick out my top pieces again — they’ve changed since the last time I tried this:

There’s more coherence than before, but this test tells me it’s still not finished. My desire for completion must wait…

Viewing

Among my errands and outings this week, I solved two mysteries!

1. Where is the showcase for the Vancouver Art Gallery’s rental program?
2. How can I see what’s at Atelier 8.18?

First, I wanted to find the rental showroom to see their current featured artist, Simone Ximeng Guo, who had landscape paintings up.

Luckily, I had just arranged to meet an artist contact out front, and of course, she knew where to direct me. It’s a little bit of a maze — go left and left some more, then straight — but there were signs and helpful people along the way.

What a wonderful collection, warm welcome, and even a few names I recognized! I had a blast talking art and pulling out all the storage walls to ooh and ahh.

Then, a long-term item on my to-do list, Atelier 8.18, was finally having a show at the same time I was in town. It’s a quiet, lovely space in the back of a private home, so getting everything to align was worth the wait.

The space is Kyla Bourgh‘s, and she couldn’t have been kinder. I got to meet artists, see beautiful work, and get into the deep details about the creative life.

I was attracted to the theme of the show (Place, Memory, and Distance), and this work in particular stood out to me, with its palette and slightly rough treatment. I was delighted to find out that there’s a mail art extension of the show, which I’m going to work on submitting to. Click through to her site if you’d like to join me.

Learning

I was procrastinating on the next part of the watercolor lesson, which involves rendering an actual form. Gulp! The goal is to understand soft & hard edges, which I do want to explore, but I’d like to apply that to landscapes, instead. Why I still act like I’m in school and need permission, argh!! Have I learned NOTHING from my fellow artists?? Fine, let’s try it and see.

Oh dear, no no no! Here I was, thinking I liked soft edges — but yikes. That is a blur of a mess on the right, there. I think I need to do this AGAIN, after watching the lesson AGAIN. I mean, my hope is to actually learn the properties of watercolor, not race through these videos. Sigh. A life lesson I need to keep relearning, I see.

While I entertain myself by running into obstacles, I’ve decided to do even more! Anyone interested in joining me for this one? The Collage Makers Summit starts March 4th, next week, and is discounted until then. There are two weeks of lessons from 14 artists, with lifetime access. I follow three of the artists who are participating; this link is through Gloria Gelo‘s signup page.

Meetings & Making

I joined my usual art hangouts this week, but again, I’m working digitally during them. On the plus side, some tweaking and revising happened. The green piece has been left alone the longest but I finally bit and removed a too-obvious text element. If you peer at the previous top 9, above, you’ll spot what I’ve taken out.

The piece on the right is the only one of the top nine to be based on my original analog pieces. I’m debating whether it’s an anomaly, or a guiding force for the series.

On the minus side, only one lonely sketch in my book this week. Oh no!

I realized I normally have my sketchbook somewhere handy, that I pass by often; that usually sparks a desire to tweak, or start something new. My current setup is out of the way, and apparently, out of mind. Got it — will fix. How do you remind yourself to create, other than appointments and classes?

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