Studio morning so far.
Wasted time on facebook, drank coffee.
Stared at the ceiling for a while under the premise of stretching my neck.
Why I need a premise when I'm here alone is another story.
Now I turn to this:
I'm not really sure what it is.
Well it's a dress, and it's black.
But I've draped and carved it in a way I've never worked before,
using seams and pleats and paring it down from a large piece of fabric, just like I used to carve fish out of bars of Ivory Soap when I was a kid. It's spare, refined, minimalist, stark, mysterious. I like it.
It's almost done. I don't know yet if it works. It's scary and exciting, in the way that our work scares and excites us: everything is on the line. Nothing is on the line.
So true: "everything is on the line...nothing is on the line".
ReplyDeleteAs I am reading this my interpretation feeling about this is, how serious I take myself while creating my next project, how much love and effort goes into my work...but I may be the only one who truly likes it.
And that,s okay, but deep down is it really...?!
For me the all/nothingness isn't about other people liking it. I really enjoy that I take my work so seriously but to someone else the results of my work can just be a dress they buy and love to wear. For all the conflict I have within my work and my self, I don't have any conflict in that way - it's surreal-y satisfying that all my angst is, ultimately, just a dress!
ReplyDeleteIsn't there the NEED for others to like what you make? Otherwise we would not be able to live from our work. Even Rembrandt's drive for painting was to win the love of his father who did not approve of his work.He wanted to be better and better to one day touch his father's heart.
ReplyDeleteWith my comment I reflect my own feelings of insecurity and I am painfully aware of that.
But I have progressed inside, I am doing and feeling good...!
Oh yes, absolutely we need people's admiration. I tend to shrivel up when people compliment my work, so I certainly have my own insecurities around that! But I try to keep creating from a place within myself so I'm not trying to guess what other people want - as soon as I do that I get overwhelmed and can't get anything done. We are such fragile flowers!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your honesty.I appreciate that as much and more as I love your dresses.(stop shriveling).
ReplyDeleteHave yourself a great and productive day Helen, I learned a bit or two from you again.
Awwww, thanks so much. It was great swapping brainwaves with you!
ReplyDelete