I don't know about you, but projects with deadlines really motivate me. I love to have a goal with a specific end date on the horizon. My troubles come when all the deadlines have been met. I scuttle around aimlessly, feeling a bit despondent and doubtful. After years of struggling with this feeling of "meh," I've learned that I can change my response to this situation. Instead of sklathing about (one of my favorite Eloise terms) in gloomy blah, I now look at this time as my time of freedom and creative rest. This is my time to work on weird, ugly, and experimental art. This is my time to focus on the means and not the end product. This is the time to have fun!
Here's something I come back to when I have a few days with nothing planned. I've been creating some paper works that incorporate some of my favorite techniques: stamp-carving, Gelli printing, painting, and stitch.
I start by carving some rubber stamps.
I like simple shapes and symbols. Nothing too complex.
I use these stamps to cover several sheets of rice paper, creating different design mixes as I go.
I choose several acrylic colors to use on my new designs.
Rice paper really drinks up the paint, so I water it down quite a bit.
Everything dries on a plasticwrap-coated drying rack.
While the rice paper dries, I add some stamping and stitching to some Gelli printed papers.
Now comes the fun part, stitching everything together.
What do you create when you let your mind wander?
Simply marvelous....love your whole process....And the COLOR...sklatchy, love this word. xox
ReplyDeleteReally fantastic Jenny!!! When I seem to be wandering and not getting anywhere creatively I tend to do similar to what you do.I grab my gelli plate and/or tags or a blank journal page and stamps etc. and just play and experiment with backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great creation. And it was so much fun to see how it all came together.
ReplyDeleteThank you Seth. It was a blast to make.
DeleteGreat shots... Love the stamps ..oh the wild call of the gelli plate... It's beckoning me... :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat. You make such wonderful things regardless of whether you have a deadline or not!
ReplyDeletewonderful! it reminds me of African cloth in the color and patterning! I DO have a deadline staring me down and must return to stamping a myriad of monarchs and other scrappy critters!!
ReplyDeleteOh Wow, that took my breath away! So nice to see the whole process :)
ReplyDeleteOh what fun Jenny! I love the stamps, making some more of these is on my to do list....but I never seem to get to it. Thanks for sharing the whole process. I love to see how things go together.
ReplyDeleteYour generosity in sharing is amazing! It shows just how supportive you are to those of us who seek inspiration. I forgot about making stamps and how serene I feel when I do that. But the biggest joy is watching you put all those elements together as I love stitching so!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOMG I love the way your mind wanders.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this! what fun and it makes me what to go to my studio and do it right now! thanks for sharing your creative fun
ReplyDeleteI popped over here after reading Jane's post about it... my plans for the afternoon may change now.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the distraction! (But it is worth it ... so much fun!)
DeleteWhat an inspiring post! I agree, great generosity in sharing. And it makes me definitely pull out my stamp carving medium. I started doing some sticky foam stamps and some stencil designs the other day. Now I need the stamps. I've been thinking of doing something with rice paper and Deli paper to hang in a window. I know it would fade eventually but the light would make it luminous.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great plan. I love to use rice paper in so many projects. I too think it would be lovely in the window with the light shining through. Do it!
Deletewhat a fun, FUN process!
ReplyDeleteIt IS fun! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteOh gosh - I thought making stamps wasn't for me so that was one "art expense" I could bypass. Now, I'm not so sure!! I love your finished product
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean... I have to reign myself sometimes on new project supplies, but I have to say...You need to try this! It is so much fun!
DeleteThis is really great! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThank you Elena! Glad you've been inspired!
DeleteSometimes I think "If not for deadlines, I wouldn't finish anything!" Thanks for showing another way to view the in-between time: a time to focus on the process rather than the end product.
ReplyDeleteI like deadlines for the same reason, but sometimes I think the best work comes when we play!
DeleteHi Jenny,
ReplyDeleteYour work is so creative. I have a question. Are your stamps self made or bought and if you made them would you kindly share how you made them?
Thanks.
Thank you Eileen. My stamps are hand-carved. I use Speedball carving products - they make both the carving tool and the rubber. You can get these products at art supply stores and online. Here's a link to the whole set available from Blick -
Deletehttp://www.dickblick.com/zz403/10/?clickTracking=true - Basically, you draw a pattern onto the rubber, then use your carving tool to cut out the negative space on your design. Using the tool takes a little practice, but it is so much fun. I guess I need to create a little tutorial! I will add that to my list! What other questions do you have? I am happy to help.
Love your mixed media art ... very inspirational. Free-motion stitching equls doodling with a machine!
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