Things are getting more and more eccentric at Casa de la Swain. Changing styles in my textile work, falling in love again with painting and photography...and then there is the ever illusive quest for continuing creativity through working with Eric Maisel. Still on the road teaching, posting now at the Ragged Cloth Cafe and taking the pledge to keep handmaiden up to date.

Friday, January 04, 2008

So Many Choices

Oh the agony of making choices! One of my Christmas surprises was a gift certificate from Charles and Christy.....from Dick Blick, no less. As all things in the universe happen in order, the new Dick Blick catalog arrived earlier that week. Are you feeling my pain yet?

The pages are stuck together already from my drooling over all the possibilities. I'll take one of everything, thank you. Should I be practical and buy new brushes? Or should I indulge in this interesting book leaping of the catalog page saying.....you need me?




Just imagine all the fun inside this book.....be still my heart. Of course, all the techniques could easily apply to quilts so it would be an investment on two fronts.


Regardless, any choice will be a good one....so I might as well just open it to any page and point. What fun....a gift that will give me pleasure in both choosing and using. Kisses to my beloved son and daughter in law.


Slight change in subject, as some of you might know I am working with Eric Maisel again as a part of his Support Group '08. Today was our first individual session. We talked about everything that was going on in my life and what I wanted to focus on.....how about everything. Seriously, we all know that won't work but Eric did cause me to re-evaluate where I was as a quiltmaker.

He even asked if maybe it was time to move on to another discipline....did making quilts hold any meaning for me now? Ice water in the face time, but after I recovered the answer was clear.

What I am tired of is working toward a competition.....following someone else's guidelines for my work....and as always the constant external pressure to produce. Is this a familiar refrain?

Cut to the chase: I am committed to making museum quality art quilts....a phrase formed with Eric's help. I am also committed to continuing the dvd production. So there it is the year at a glance. We are going to be working together for six months. Taking a leap, I announced that I will have at least 3 new pieces either finished or well on the way to being finished by the end of our time together.

Now that it is out there for all the world to see, I am really accountable. However, for the moment, back to drooling over possible choices.....all seriousness and no silliness makes Gabrielle even more eccentric.

1 comment:

Cathy said...

I have the Alphabetica book. It is eye candy, lots of possibilities. It isn't one I return to alot. I'd be happy to send to you, if you want it.