I have decided to dedicate the year leading up to my 60th birthday to studio work. Each day a sketch and five inch square design will be worked up in techniques I want to explore. The series began ahead of time on October 18th with a plein air landscape outside of the studio.
This does not mean I won’t teach and travel, but right now there is a long stretch of time off the road and a routine was necessary. The short term goal is a sketch for each day. Several larger works have evolved from these exercises already. It has been a productive and meditative time.
Lori LaBerge’s Plein Air Hooking Artists concept helped formulate the process. Although I am religiously sketching my subject into a journal, and working from the image for color and values, most of the subjects are also photographed as documentation. I am also documenting changes made anticipating compiling a text to accompany an exhibit.
So far skills from a wire jewelry workshop have been incorporated into several pieces; acrylic paints; quilting; embroidery; and coiling have augmented traditional rug hooking.Monthly there will be a progress report showing the seasonal palette; design evolution; and techniques explored. Below is a gallery of some early subjects and works.
- South View 10-18
- South view 10-18
- Birds feeding 10-19
- Matt’s Wild Cherries
- 10-20 Value and Shapes
- Log Pile
- 10-29 Logs
- EE Cummings in Mrs. Bowen’s English Class