Arting Away

This is a sneak peak of the work I'm doing for the show with the November 1 deadline.  I set out to do a mixed media piece using materials/techniques including crochet, shrinky dink, water colors, and maybe embroidery.  I've been working on the crochet elements for the last two weeks because it just takes forever when you use the thin thread instead of yarn.  The picture shows how I incorporated shrinky dink into the chrochet.

So far my unemployment has been peppered with holidays so I haven't really had much time to fill.  This is my first full week without a holiday coming up, and it's pretty busy.  Tomorrow I start back up at the pottery studio finally, and I am working on these shows as well as revamping my portfolio and website.  Those projects combined with general erranding and the inexplicable time warping that happens when you're home all day makes for a full-feeling day.  Why is it that time goes by faster when you're at home all day?

Making Deadlines

When my time at my organization ended, I was really concerned about what I would do without somewhere to go every day.  I am very productive at work, but sometimes it's hard to be productive for my own projects.  I'm still in the early part of adjusting to being on my own most of the day most of the week, and with the holidays this month I haven't really been faced with a full week alone yet.  But to make sure I keep myself busy and working, I made a "menu" of things I could be doing. 

But that's not really enough, I think, because part of what makes me so productive at work is the deadlines.  So I am going to try to focus on my artist identity a lot during this time of complete "employment rest" and sign up for some shows.  I've got three shows with upcoming deadlines in my sights, one of which is coming up in only a few weeks but I am so excited and inspired by the project constraints.

AND, once the holidays have ended and I get to have full weeks again, I want to begin a regular schedule at the pottery studio again.  I was able to sell my work at the craft fair last summer and I really think that I have some good ideas that I want to see to fruition.

Everything is exciting and I only hope that I keep myself motivated.  I think this will be a major test in finishing what I start and finding internal motivation.  I also plan to use my blog as a way to keep myself motivated, with way more frequent posts and project updates.  We'll see, we'll see what 5772 will bring!

Day Book, D.A.I.Y.E. Day.

Today I made an organizer, because when I am feeling disorganized I make systems for organizing (and then maybe I don't use them).  I decided the first thing I would do after my time at my current position ended would be to do something that felt productive and grounding... so... and organizer it was.

I took three sides of an old box (plucked out of the paper recycling bin in our apartment, somewhat to JewishGuy's dismay).  I collaged on the outside, covered it with mod podge, and used brads to hold the "general to-do list" paper on one side.  Then I did something way too complicated to bind the other side together into a book and then sew it onto the cover very slowly.  I also put a brad on each side of the covers to be used as closure devices (a red string wraps around them to keep the book closed).

I might still sew a pocket into the large empty flap so that I have somewhere to keep business cards or whatever that I pick up.

Basically, I felt like I needed something to keep me motivated, because now that I have nowhere to go during the day I have become very anxious.  Okay, today was Day 1 of not having anywhere to go... and I already contacted a temp agency to help make some moneys while I continue the job search.

My position ended because the department closed, effective Erev Rosh Hashana, last Wednesday.  Last week was such a stressful week, and even though Rosh Hashana was good it was not due to our planning!  We were both so stressed we barely got what we needed to get done, done, and one of the meals we hosted was woefully short on food (I mean, for my standards - I want people to be stuffed with food of all sorts before dessert, and that just wasn't the case).

A piece of good news - I sent in my ATR application as soon as I got home from work on Wednesday!  All of my hours are finished, the application went in the mail, and this week (or next) I will follow-up to see if they got it.  Hooray!  I also put in for a hold on my LCAT permit, hopefully that will come through soon.

And finally, one of my goals for the month of October is to create a consistent online presence, which will mean a major overhaul of my website and blog.  I will keep updating (such that I have been) in the meantime, but look forward to some big changes soon :)