Pix
Ingredients
Elements
Pixels
Stitches
People
Edges
Particles
Scraps
Patches
Pieces
Fragments
Fractions
Parts
Call them what you like, it amounts to the same thing.
I have been off on a tangent or two, and have come back to this refreshed. I panicked that I wouldn’t. But I should have had faith. Bo tells me I should have more faith.
I want to make the most of the six weeks ahead, focussed, because once we both start back to school in September, the time will fly by, and October half term will be on us before we know it. My personal target is to know what I will show by the end of the six weeks. I may need time to finish work, but at least I will know what needs to be finished. I also need to allow time for any framing or presentation issues to be resolved.
So I have reviewed things.
I have made lots of elements.
I have used scraps
I have written words, stitched them and stamped them
I have a pile of ingredients
Some of these things I like and some I don’t.
I’m playing a game of musical materials… when the music stops I swap something round.
I pin it for a while, live with it a few days. If it works, I then stitch it. Gradually, the parts are becoming wholes.
I’m baking a cake
I’m building a wall
I’m constructing an image from pixels
I’m embroidering over some holes
I’m making a dress
This fits me
I’m enjoying it again
I have renewed enthusiasm
Anything could happen in the next 6 weeks
I wonder what Bo is up to?
Sometimes he sends me hundreds of images
When he does, because of the sheer volume of them, I find myself making snap yes/no decisions of their worth.
Over the last few weeks he has sent me two.
Because of this I have been far more thoughtful about my consideration of them. I made a snap decision, then questioned myself.
“What’s he done that for?”
“Don’t like those lines, they jar”
“He obviously wants them to do that? Why?”
“That is beautifully drawn, he should do more of that”
None of my business whether he does more drawing or not – it’s his decision.
Because of the nature of his work, I find myself liking some elements/ingredients/fragments etc, and not liking others… but…
By sending me only two images, he’s done me a favour. By not liking some bits, I like the other bits more. The conflict is what throws it out at me.
Elliot Smith, the now deceased writer of very sad songs once said something about if he didn’t acknowledge the sad, how could he recognise the joy?
The conflict and contrast is what pulls us out of a grey world.
Don’t send me so much stuff Bo. I prefer it this way.
