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Sunday, March 4, 2012

Just Beginning

     I finished uploading my last assignment for my class yesterday. I was actually finished with it earlier in the week but procrastinated on it I guess because I just wasn't ready for it to be over with.

     I set a S-T-R-E-C-H goal  for myself this time:  I  wanted to entirely finish the piece right down to the sleeve and label.  I had a huge cloud following me around. It was the cloud of unfinished projects and I was building up this huge barrier inside my head that these pieces would not get done. Ok, enough of that so the stretch goal.

    The last assignment was to simplify or elaborate our design. I chose elaboration and ...fell flat.  I didn't like how I overworked the motif.  If I look at my motif which I tried to increase the complexity of it by adding more lines, it is just too much, too busy. If  I cover up the lower strip on the right purple motif or "house",  I like it better. So next piece I make I will eliminate that angled strip and see if that helps.

Rooflines # 6,  36x36, Colleen Kole, 2012
      When I put it up on the wall to photograph it, I saw what was wrong with it and when I wrote my self critique, it no longer felt like a failed assignment but another learning experience. And I set up parameters for the next piece. I love the phrase"the next piece".  I know I  learned many things but the "next piece " gives you freedom to try new things and not be afraid to fail.   I felt fantastic that I met my stretch goal for the week which was to finish the piece and have no anxiety about machine quilting the other pieces.

Finished!


      It was truly a gift to take this class. I highly recommend  Lisa Call as a teacher and the online experience was better than I thought possible.  I am finished with class but just beginning to find joy in working in a series. 

      

6 comments:

  1. Maybe I am not discriminating enough but I liked all your pieces. I like the angled "roof" lines and thin piecing. Very pleasing. I am a total bomb at online classes. I find them very frustrating so I am always happy to hear how others have learned to much and enjoyed them.

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  2. its so cool to see you going into this direction colleen. i know for me it helps to remember the dichotomy of it all...on the one hand every piece is a masterpiece! and on the other hand its all sh#t hahahaa. you get it right? there is something to be said for pushing thru...but i still dont think it is necessary to finish anything if one day you find yourself hopelessly drawn to something else. once you jump...you just have to enjoy the ride and you can twist and contort your body all you want but you are still going to land eventually. so be wild and crazy and move around in this art life!

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  3. Beth-Thanks. I am loving lines even though they are time-consuming.

    Paula- I understand. You have to be free enough to try whatever you want but focused enough to finish some of it. And the rest best left behind as a means of experimenting. Yeah? I am already on to the next thing that intrigues me but with the knowledge I just learned.

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  4. Colleen, you have learned so much in this class! What you have been doing is so great, and I am glad you understand you just do it, and go on to the next one. Sometimes you don't understand what you have done until later. I am glad you pushed through all the struggles, and figured stuff out.

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  5. It's the "seeing" and editing of the work that gets it finished ... or not. Making art is an adventure. Thank you for sharing this exciting part of yours.
    ;-)

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  6. Nellie is correct. I admire you continuing to push and stretch. Well done! Your learning adventure with Lisa continues to inspire me. Thank you so much for sharing your process.

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