I’ve reached the point where I can’t see what I’m doing because I haven’t got the space.
A Facebook memory popped up and showed me how much space I used to have and I signed with envy! So I have put my making to one side for a little while, while I tackle the clutter. It isn’t really clutter, but there’s a lot of it in the wrong format, in the wrong place. I have framed and mounted work just inside the door which makes access tricky, particularly if I am carrying in more stuff, or inviting people in. And I am unable to move my tables because they are hiding a load of rolled up drawings. I started this activity a while back, and now I need a stage two. So I cleared a space, selected a few drawings of similar colours and unrolled them, rubbed a damp sponge lightly across the back of them, and then next time I go in they will be flat and I can chop them up into pieces in order to make them into more books. I need 27 pieces, 8” x 16” in order to make one book that will be about 2” thick. When I stitch and bind them they become beautiful objects rather than a nuisance. It also means you have a manageable and close up way to view the drawings anew, and even reuse the pages for notes or new drawings if you want. I did sell one, but I’m not sure at the moment if I want to sell any more just yet. I think I need to see them filling a shelf. I think If I can just cut them up, that will help, then I can make the books at my leisure.
I also have decided that I need to sort out the “stuff” in the small bedroom, because once I do that, then I can make space for the framed pieces and some of the textile pieces in boxes at home. It’s full of things we brought with us when we moved here two years ago, but we still haven’t done anything with it. (And of course, some of it belongs to our youngest son, and will need to stay here as he doesn’t live in a place suitable for storage yet.)
In an ideal world I’d have a unit to store and a studio to work, but until I’m rich and famous that’s not happening!
And actually, it is probably healthier to do it this way, sort, decide, recycle and reuse… very little will be thrown out, just chopped edges.
I am full of fresh enthusiasm for my task though. While the weather is so rainy, collecting twigs isn’t as fruitful… they are soggy and rotting before I can get to them. I shall probably slow up a lot until the weather gets better again in spring.
Seasonal tasks seem appropriate.
