Yep, I’m careful in my statements, but I can tell you that I definitely grew.
Not in length – I’m still approximately 5.5 feet – but my self confidence
about my art has got a major boost this week!
It started with a “Lotus layout” last Monday (it will be on the Lotus Paperie
blog this Friday) and to be honest, I disliked the challenge.
It was totally NOT my thing… and no-one could have been more surprised
then myself when I saw the result. I made a gorgeous layout, if I may say so.
I put it on our side table and looked at it all evening. I was so happy!
I had plans (already printed the photo) to make a layout for the new
challenge over at “Scrapping the Music” and I told my beloved that
I was afraid to start working on it, ’cause I expected it wouldn’t be
any good… I thought I could never make another beautiful layout
right the day after the Lotus one. I presume that’s what musicians feel
after making a hit-album – the pressure to do it again becomes too
big – the next album almost always is disappointing.
So yesterday morning I surfed around on the Internet a bit, postponing the
creating moment, and came across this post on Bethany’s blog
It opened my eyes! She wrote exactly what I am feeling and over thinking
these last weeks, I had/have to make some choices according my work and art
and she just put my thoughts into words.
It gave me such a boost!
The pressure to “achieve” vanished.
I went downstairs and started this layout.
And guess what?
It’s gorgeous too!
I can do it.
I can get rid of the pressure, have fun creating, stretch myself and make
another beautiful layout. Right the next day!
So I grew.
Just a tiny little bit maybe, but such an important bit!
I can honestly say to myself now: “Stick to yourself. Do it your own way
and then the layout will reflect you and you’re OK”
And now you wanna see the layout?
Here it comes…
The challenge at Scrapping the Music is a song called “Beautiful Dawn”
by the Wailin Jennys. (click here to read the full lyrics)
Used materials:
Cardboard, painted with gesso (border)
Black paper
Grey tissue paper. (wrinkled, sprayed with spray ink and a streak of gesso)
Gesso (on the black paper) with spray ink.
Machine stitching
Black sharpie
The photo deserves a little extra attention ’cause it is important to know
what/where this is, to fully appreciate the layout.
This is a road just outside the little village I was born, and it leads to
the dunes and the beach (you still can see the darker shadow of the dunes
behind the roof of that house. But maybe you can’t – is it only for me
to see it ’cause I KNOW it’s there and this image is so familiar to me…)
My dad took this photo on an early, foggy morning.
Detail
I hand wrote
the first
strophes
of the lyrics
on the
tissue paper
part (I let it
overlap the
cardboard
border)
Detail
Streaks of gesso,
painted on the
black paper with
a wide brush and
sprayed with ink.
Machine stitching.
I end this post with apologies ’cause I might have made several
grammatical mistakes trying to explain my feelings in English.
Most of the time, it’s not a problem writing in another language,
but when it comes to “deeper feeling” it’s hard to find the right words.
But hey, you are my regular readers.
I’m sure you know me enough by now to understand what I meant to say.
I’m convinced you all can “read between the lines.”
Thank you for that.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Thank you for leaving me comments.
I love you all!
I’ll be back Friday with that other layout…
Je t’embrasse.