Countdown to Simplicity

I'm not bored with this piece (Cyber Fyber), but i do wish it was done and gone! It's like an adult child that keeps eating *my* snacks, sleeping on the couch when *i* want to sit there, and throwing wet towels in the clean and folded laundry basket---i just want it to stand up and move out on its own!

I have decided already that next year is going to be a "pulling in", a Simplicity Year----I don't mean simplicity as in plain or traditional or effortless----i want to learn more, focus on my own ideas, write and (hopefully) enter (or have) show/s. No exchanges, no deadline challenges, no getting cutesy with the current trends, no Jones groups i have to keep up with. I'd like to do some teaching. And no more "major" purchases--the library is stuffed, the stash is more than decent, the Lalage machine is perfect, and the personal competition has begun :} I have dropped some groups, added one that is leaning into enhancing what i'm already doing, and scooped up a few people i'd like to help, or learn from.

I plan on doing some tutorials again, some of them being about metal. I've found only 3 books that really pertain. Two are excellent: the redoubtable Maggie Grey's "Paper, Metal, Stitch" and incroyable Alysn Midgelow-Marsden's "This Lustre'd Cloth"; the third one is by Anne Parr and while it looks beautiful and no doubt the lady is very talented, it appears most of the ground has been covered by the other two, so i have neither read nor bought it. I'm NOT an expert, and i certainly do not wish to usurp anyone's ideas or style, but i think i have some things to say and show on the subject, that are purely "arlee". Ego-centric? Hey, part of my "by-line/slogan" up top there under the header has always been "self-absorbed"...

Comments

[Anne Marie]

Thank you! I guess you answered my question. I agree that it's probably time to pull back and re-focus. I should listen to the same voice, but I'm not sure that I'm ready. Teaching is good. Will you be doing it on-line, so some of your fans can have a chance to connect? Let us know.

Anne Marie

[arlee]

I think i may "open" a blog that is by invite only---meaning those who are invited are the only ones who can see it! That way i can keep it separate from this--and all my other smokin' irons :}. If you are interested, let me know and i will add you.

[Mary Anne]

'Simplicity'...what a great name (and I DON't mean in the pattern company sense). The 'Corpse', if it runs again, is going to be my ONLY commitment next year and I'm so glad and am soooo looking forward to doing my own thing, whatever that might end up being. Hopefully some of your teaching is going to end up on your blog?
It's also nice to know you haven't stopped your enabling ways and now I have yet another book to put on my wish list!!

[Anne Marie]

Of course, I'm interested....where and when do I sign up? Of course, now I need to check out Amazon for the two metal books, but that's okay. I'll just think of it as my Chrismas present to myself. I'm totally worth it. BTW, so are you, Mary Anne. Do it, do it, do it!!!

[Susan Sawatzky]

I have dropped the postcard groups I joined. Most were not that much fun after the initial flurry of sewing and posting. It appeared to me that people make something sloppy just to be able to get something in return in the mail. I was very disappointed in many of the postcards I received and the need to say WOW and thank everyone got to be very burdensome.

So I'm only in the third corpse for next year. My hope is that I actually make some art quilts or fabric art of some kind. If you invite me I will come.

[Morna Crites-Moore]

Your posting has wisdom. I agree with much of what your are thinking. I would be pleased to be invited to your blog. :-)

[arlee]

Thanks all for your comments! I will send "e-vites" to the blog, but be warned that there is nothing there yet :} I have a few ideas to implement and will update as i can. Most of it will be in the new year, as being a florist means right now i have VERY little time!

Alysn's book can be ordered direct from her. I'll add info the the blog for it--it doesn't appear to be available many places, and i do like supporting the author if possible.

[IreneR]

This sounds like a very sensible decision, Arlee. May I please be invited? Otherwise I suppose I'll just have to look over Mary Ann's shoulder. Still loving your work and ideas, regardless of what you do.

[kay susan]

Arlee, I have to admit, I've slowed down a bit this year - and also branched out a little into other things, like Virtual Sketch Date. I'd dearly love to be invited to your tute blog.

[materialwitness]

The whole simplicity thing is something that I have been trying. Only entering shows that I want to be part of and not every show that comes along. I am also concentrating on teaching and centering myself within my own work. I came to the conclusion a little while ago that I have to put more thought and effort into developing the library of skills I know. Am no longer just making work that is a dizzy carnival of all dumped into meaningless work.

Your new work is fascinating and thoughtful. It will be exciting to see what comes from this. The hard part of doing this work is figuring out how to maintain it year after year without getting lost with the plethora of opportunity.

[arlee]

E-vites sent to those who asked :}

P, you are SO right. I think we get caught up very easily with new trends and materials and just jump on our horses and ride off in all directions:} It's too easy to make the art about the technique now, rather than using the technique as a tool to create something special and meaningful.

Robert Genn's latest newsletter has a paragraph that particularly caught my eye:
"Part of the problem is that folks don't see art for what it truly is. Painting, for example, is an inventive, explorative activity that happens to use colour and form. In other words, it's creative, not imitative. When that penny thunks down in our heads, things suddenly become more interesting and exciting. Not strangely, folks also become more successful. Simply being able to avoid the ho-hum factor is reason enough to stop and desist."