I feel pretty good about the weekend. I got a lot done. I’m starting the week not as buried as I felt last week. I graded a lot. Plus I got the binding on the new quilt…just need to hand sew the rest. And I started work on the revised drawing. I got two nights of good sleep for once, I walked some dogs, and I was even at a social event for almost two hours! I know, right? This week has more of that stuff. I should cultivate more of that in general, but I don’t really have the time (or possibly the patience) for it.
So I drew while we watched a movie last night…it’s nowhere near done. In fact, it’s not even done enough to take for enlargement, although that might happen tomorrow. I like to have as much as possible done before I enlarge…
Because I know I will draw too small afterward. Anyway, the goal in the revised version was to move the water spiral off to the left and off her body, so that could be in there too. There’s more to come below. I think the maximum size I can do is 44″w x 60″h, so that is somewhat limiting. This is a 14″w x 17″h sketchbook, so if I start by enlarging to 200%, which is usually the smallest I go, then I’ll have about 10″ in width to add and just short of 25″ in height. That might be enough. I guess it will have to be enough. Scaling it back in my head, for sure…I don’t have to put everything I’m thinking in one piece. Although that is how I roll.
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one obsessively checking email on Friday, which was supposed to be the Quilt National notification day. I get rejected all the time, and will probably get rejected again, but one of the pieces I entered is exactly that…everything in my head at that time. Might be a mistake, but I needed to make it. When I entered 8 shows back in August and early September, I knew I was guaranteed to get into one…and it’s been nice to get into 4 out of 5. I wasn’t expecting more than 1 out of 8. So each acceptance is something really cool and appreciated. The rejections are an opportunity to enter those pieces into another show.
So I kept forgetting to take process pictures on this one…I cut the binding out before dinner and sewed it together…then after the movie, I came in here and sewed the binding and sleeves on…around 10 PM or so…
Then in my most favorite shirt that I can’t wear to school, I started the hand-sewing…
It’s going to go fast. Then off to the photographer…meanwhile starting the next one. At some point, I’m going to need to figure out the next steps after that piece. I’ve been focusing so hard on the Fall, that I’m not sure what comes next. It’s not a bad thing…I’m OK with not making something for a show. It would be nice, actually. Although the shows are motivating, I am capable of motivating myself without them.
OK, gotta work…and try not to think about justice confirmations and elections (I’m so ready to vote, y’all.) and how we treat survivors of abuse and harassment. That stuff sucks. It’ll show up in a drawing…just not yet.
*Semisonic, Closing Time
Kathy Nida 