Slow Art ...

Sharonb has been bloggin about the concept of "Slow Art", and what it probably is and how it applies to what people do in the Arts. She came across the idea from this site here. Some of the other crafters are blogging about it, so I thought I would add a few thoughts of my own.

To me, Slow Art, is the time taken to make art. Any art. All the planning, designing, researching, putting the materials together and finally the making of the piece, with the thoughts and feelings that occur during the making.

I guess it is the total opposite of making something really quickly, gluing a few shapes to the front of a ready cut card, stamping a kitch saying inside and claiming it is "handmade". Okay, I have been guilty of doing that myself, on occassion, when something has come up, and someone has asked me to "make" a card quickly.

However, on my "real" art pieces, I agonise for ages to try and get it to look how I visualise in my head. People who keep art journals or any sort of journals to plan and poke in are so organised. I just keep a picture in my head. Probably why some of my work ends up as UFO's and some of those end up "recycled". I guess from that you can guess "organisation" is not even close to being my forte. Hey, I try and work on it.
(Note to self: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions).

Funnily enough, when I design clothing, I always start off with a crocqui and sketch onto that what I think the finished garment should look like, and I use that to check out fabrics. Then I go and buy the fabric, the matching threads and accessories for it. I decide whether to hand hem or machine hem the edges and all the stuff. Then and only then do I work out the pattern. Sounds abit arse around, but that is just how I do it. Maybe if I do a commission work, I might do the pattern so I do not get too much fabric or not enough. Commissions, alas, are far and few between (read: non existent right now).

The real thing I love about my art is that it is so relaxing. Seriously, if I have a stressful day at work, a stress headache or stuff, just spending a little time either doing my art or going through Spotlight or Lincraft just relaxes me. My partner always tries to encourage the doing art rather than shop, but I'm not fussy. lol. Relaxation to me is really the loosening of all my muscles and switching my brain to a slower "mode" and just chilling. Sewing is the best, but any of the others work as well.

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Since the goal of joining the Take it Further Challenge is for me to get organised, not only will I be doing it, blogging it, I have decided I will make a genuine attempt to keep a journal as well. Plan what I am going to do with each month's challenge. Maybe if I commit to blogging that as well, it will help me. I have a moleskin I bought this year just for that, and except for one sketch I did of a thing I want to make, it is virgin. haha. No points for guessing why.

If this works, I shall certainly owe Sharon a debt of gratitude.