One Thing...

leads to another; you know how it is... I recently rejoined the Quilters Guild of the United Kingdom which is currently engaged in a project called 'Little Gems'. Quilters are asked to make a journal-sized quilt (or two...or ten...), which will be offered in a tombola at Festival of Quilts this year. Since I'm at FOQ all week, I thought that the least I could do was offer a quilt...and may well make a couple, depending on how my time goes. So... I made a small quilt, and took a photograph of it (the first one you see here). And then I read the instructions, which said I had to finish the edges somehow. So, as the piece is made from lutradur, felt and pelmet vilene, non of which fray, I added a simple line of machine stitching, just to hold the piece together right the way round. That was the idea, anyway.

What actually happened was that the quilt said, you know, that bit over there could do with a bit more stitch... and that bit there... and what's more, don't I look much better the other way round, now that you've done that? I had to agree with all of this, of course...and discovered that I had, all unknowing, created another Flying Dreams quilt. The top image is the finished item, while the image below is the quilt before the additions. I'd love to hear which you prefer (but I'm not taking the stitching out again!!!).

I've just submitted it to the Guild for inclusion on the Little Gems Blog, where you can see the submissions so far, and find the instructions for making one of these wee beauties. You don't have to be a Guild member to take part, just have a desire to support the only dedicated quilt museum in Europe... so how about it?

Deadlines...

really aren't my thing. I just got a polite email from Virginia Spiegel, reminding me that the deadline for Collage Mania is...well... Wednesday. That's okay, thought I, I have my pieces done, I just need to photograph them and all will be well with the world. Wrong. For some reason, I made them smaller than the required size, which meant that mounting them was the order of the day. By this time, of course, I was a tad overexcited. As luck would have it, I was given a load of mount board by my gallery, so cutting it to size and mounting the pieces was quite straightforward. And, as you can see, they photographed fairly well, too.

The first piece, Being Blue, is made from hand made paper, with a layer of voile over it, and has pieces added on both above and below the voile, and a machine stitched circle. The two pieces that follow, Grey Moon and Almost Four, are made from Evolon, and will feature in my book, 'Exquisite Evolon', when it appears in the summer; Grey Moon is embellished with pieces of silk, while Almost Four is an original print. Finally, Dizzy is collaged cloth, with some beads attached. All four pieces have been included in honour of my much loved friend, Lynn Bunis, of whom I have written before. She lost her fight with cancer last year, so it seems only fitting that two of the pieces I'm submitting feature cloth from her stash, as she was an American living in Scotland, and Collage Mania is a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society.

If you haven't come across Collage Mania before, check it out! The list of participants is here
This is a great opportunity to purchase some wonderful art from some very well known artists, at affordable prices, and in a very good cause. Run, don't walk!

Spring...

has caught up with me. I find myself clearing out the studio, rearranging things, combining things, and thinking about what to put in the new external storage I'm about to buy (probably the paper making and dyeing stuff). The house got a perfunctory hoover round, the dishwasher went on and I'm cooking various bits and pieces. Brought several finished paintings into the house (of which more in the week...); they have to be added to my list of work, and taken upstairs to be stored.

The image today is of a mixed media piece I finished last week, but had to wait for the paint to dry. It's a small mixed media on studio canvas, 12" by 10". As with most of my work, there's lots of texture, partly from the paint itself, and partly from the paper that was added to the canvas beforehand, some pieces of an old paper dressmaking pattern. You can see the textures quite clearly in the close up; try clicking on the image to enlarge it. I think the piece has a light, airy feel to it, just right for spring.

Experimenting...

To my surprise, I find myself playing with paint. I haven't painted in a while, or rather, not with oils, but I felt it was right to do so a few days ago, and only stopped because I ran out of white... I'm finally working in the palette that I found in France two years ago, whites, creams, pale colours. I took photographs of a damaged wall that fascinated me, the original inspiration for the cracks and scars series that I'm working in, and those were the colours in the photograph. The first of the images here shows a manipulated version of one of those photographs (I must have taken about twenty...); the other is a currently untitled collage using some of the colours in that palette. There are some larger works, that are still in progress (this one is a small square studio canvas, roughly 10" square).

Looking at them both, it might be difficult to see a connection, but for me, it is there. I don't know that I can explain it well... but it has meaning for me in this context, as well as in a broader sense. The paper is clearly torn from a magazine and reused; there is something about consuming consumables...or reconsuming consumables, that is important, but I'm not sure what it is, exactly. Doubtless, if I make more in this vein, I'll begin to understand it better. And you will have your own ideas on what this piece is 'about', and they will be just as valid as mine. That's the joy of art; there really is no limit, no right and no wrong. Just the piece, and the person, interacting.

Who'd Be An Editor?

Not me, for sure. Dijanne and I have decided to create a printed edition of the Lovely Lutradur book. We're self publishing again, of course, and so have to get the text ready for the printer. This involves a small matter of resizing the entire text, and the images, too, so that they print as well as possible. As you can imagine, this is slowwww work, but I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. Remind me I said that when I'm working my way through this for the rest of the week, and the weekend...not to mention redesigning the cover.

I checked the rusting Evolon this morning, and it's working beautifully, much faster than I anticipated. I think I'll leave it another day, or so, and then rinse it, and see what I've got. Not sure what I'll use it for, but I dare say I'll think of something...

And in the midst of all this, I'm still working on the creativity book, which I had intended to call 'Extending The Zone'...but when I got to the nearly finished point, I realised I wasn't really talking about the Zone much at all, but rather how to organise your work and yourself so that you can spend as much time as possible making art, instead of thinking about it. So I'm wondering about a new title... doubtless I'll think of something. Maybe tomorrow, I'll get out in the shed to work with some waxed and dyed evolon... hmm... though there is T'ai Chi class on Fridays, and a doctor's appointment, to boot. Maybe it needs saving until Saturday...

ps if you'd like to join the mailing list for the printed edition of Lovely Lutradur, please drop me an email and I'll add your name. It should be out in a couple of months' time, but I'll let you know before then, of course! Emails to lutradur@tiscali.co.uk please. Or if you can't wait, and want to have the CD version, check it out here

Evolon? What's Evolon?

It's at times like these that I really wish we had textured images, because trying to explain Evolon without offering you a piece to stroke is really rather difficult! The technical explanation of Evolon is that it is a microfibre cloth made from polyester and nylon fibres mixed together. To touch, it feels a bit like suede, or chamois leather, or even a very thin velvet. Because it is non woven, though, it doesn't fray, or discard little fluffy bits of yarn when you cut it (they make me sneeze, so I'm very grateful). As you can see, this lovely white cloth takes transfer dye beautifully, and it's lovely to stitch, either by hand or by machine; the top piece is machine stitched, the other has silk fabrics attached using the embellisher.

I met Evolon by chance; I had been talking to the lutradur agent in the UK, Mervyn Williams, and he showed me all sorts of interesting fabrics. The one I really loved was Evolon, and the poor man only had one sample at the time. Emphasis on the 'had'!! I enthused at length about it when I discovered how well it stitches and dyes, and the rest is history. I'm writing a book, Exquisite Evolon, which will be ready for Festival of Quilts this year (if it kills me...); I'm intending to show the many different ways that this versatile, strong and truly lovely fabric cn be used. Yes, I'm biased. Sorry, can't help it! If you are looking for some Evolon, try Mervyn's site Spunart; if you ask him nicely, he'll send you a sample, too, and you can have your own Evolon to fondle!

I Stink...

of a remarkable combination of throat lozenge and vinegar. The throat lozenge, clearly, was taken internally; the vinegar, however, despite its healing history (Jack's head and brown paper, to name but one instance...), was not. I'm working on the Exquisite Evolon book this week, and decided to include a section on rust dyeing. Even as we speak, some incredibly rusty bits and pieces are smothered in evolon, lurking in a large seed tray, covered in bubble wrap, next to the central heating boiler. The cats are disgusted. They are, however, unlikely to mistake it for their litter tray...I hope...

I'm working hard, but getting nowhere, or at least it feels that way. And I've had a fluey type virus, which is continuing to lurk in my system (hence the stinky throat lozenge). Now, though, I'm off to do some evolon painting; my good friend Alison Lowe, who makes fab bags, has agreed to design one specially for the book, so I'm off to paint some evolon specifically for it. Clearly there are no images of the ongoing work to be shared (looking at bubblewrap in a seed tray is not my idea of fascinating... I'd rather watch paint dry, which is, of course, what I'm about to do next...). So I've put up an image of 'Blue Trees', which is an Evolon print I made a while ago, and is now resplendent in its frame.

By the way, I meant what I said in a previous post; I'm looking for artists to feature in the gallery section of Exquisite Evolon. If you have a piece of which you're particularly proud, and would like to see it published, this is your chance! Email me for more details. Oh, and a PS; there are still a couple of places available in the masterclass I'm running at FOQ this year, check out the site here for details!

Fear...

...is a very effective paralysing agent. I have been in the studio fairly regularly, but haven't painted since before Christmas, and the reason was... fear. I began a painting six months or so ago, and was unhappy with it, so, after living with it for a while, to see what it wanted to say, I added some background colour. And it sat there, not finished, but not bad enough to scrap, and I have been afraid to touch it. Afraid is a strong word, but it is correct nonetheless. I knew that it needed something, but I didn't know what it was, and I was afraid that if I did something to it, I would ruin it. In any case, I didn't know if it was a good painting, or not. I was afraid that it wasn't. Those fears, compounded, had me frozen. On Saturday, though, I defrosted myself. I reminded myself that there is no right, and no wrong, in making a decision, whether it is about art, business or anything else you might care to mention. We have choices, and the way to make a decision is to establish what choices you have, and , accepting the likely outcomes of each one for good or ill, select one. Then, all you have to do is do whatever it is you have chosen to do.

In the case of this painting, made in oils, it was a coating of an interesting dark turquoise colour. That, and turning the image round from where I had it, which changed the meaning in my head. I had made the piece to reflect how I felt at the time I painted it, and called it 'Blue'; the first image shows a section of the original painting, during the addition of the turquoise. Suddenly, this piece was another 'Inner Landscape', called 'Under The Surface', and the second image shows the completed piece. Since taking that original photograph, I have removed some of the turquoise, to allow stronger flashes of colour to show through, and will take another photograph of it in better light when it is finished(the light on Saturday was not good...).

It may not be the best painting in the world; it may not be the best painting I've ever made, come to think of it. But it expresses something (in fact, it expresses more than I had originally intended), and I like it. Better still, I want to paint some more, and have more ideas; I was beginning to think I might never paint again . I'm very glad I was wrong! So, if you are stuck as I was, ask yourself, what are you afraid of? Consider your choices, select one and do the work. That's all it takes. It's just a pity we forget that so regularly. When I coach people, it's one of the things I help them to do, to make choices, and live with the consequences. Usually those consequences are relatively small, on the scale of things, a finished painting, an idea turned into reality, a letter written. Everything is easier with a bit of help... and sometimes you need someone else's input to get moving. But either way, ask yourself, what's the worst thing that could possibly happen, for each of the options. Usually the worst possible outcomes are no worse than the feeling you have of being stuck, in my experience. So what do you have to lose? Go make a choice, or two. Why not start now?

Challenged

One of the things I do in what is laughingly called my 'spare' time is run an online list for textile artists, called Alternative Quilt List (find it here). It is very much an on topic list, with very few digressions, and it has been quiet for a while. So, to set us up for the new year, I set a challenge for the list, to make a quilt that looked ahead to the coming year. Imaginatively titled 'The Future Challenge', a number of our members did in fact make pieces for it. Just to make it interesting, I offered some of my hand dyed fabric as prizes, and we voted on our favourites. The outright winner was the beautiful quilt you see above. It was made by Eva Ahlander from Sweden; she says;

"I have thought some time about how I can stop being so hard on myself and accept that I have more than one side, the ones I like and the ones I am not so proud of. (This is not about schizophrenia, as my quilt group quickly named my piece!) It is about embracing all of me, the good and the bad. Life is not perfect and life is fragile and I need to look after all of me. I will try and do this in 2009. How to make this into a quilt?

I accidentally heard that January is named after an ancient god Janus, who is the god with two faces and the challenge began to take shape. What also attracted me to this ancient myth was that he was some sort of door keeper, and I have a fondness for doors…. So I played with old photos in Photoshop and printed them off on fabric. Then I embellished with buttons and ribbons and paint. The old lady with the pink hat is in the background of an old 60´s photo of my husband as a baby. (did that make sense?) I doubled her to make a newer version of Janus and then I doubled up an old photo of an aunt from the 40´s and made her into Janus twins with the masks. Buttons attached to give a bit of 3D. The binding is an old piece of fabric I ripped from the inside of a pair of jeans.

Well, the piece is called January- embracing both of me. I have had some thoughts after it was finished, like why I put masks on the “twins” instead of leaving the faces blank, which I think has to do with that I always have had to show a happy face, but the inside was in turmoil. My family background is also a bit complex when it comes to hiding the weakness of life, my grandmother and my mother were raised in strict Calvinistic “freechurches”. So it all came together quite nicely in the end. It is about embracing the weak and the strong and make them both visible and accepted.

I have also not used the colours I normally use. I am so thrilled with how the colours came out, I thought it would be boring with paler shades, but the quilt came out shimmering…

I was so inspired by this, I will now attempt to make one piece once a month. Same size as this one, with the base of the names of the months and where they came from, February was named after a god who was in charge of death and purging (!) and try to link it to me somehow. We will see how it goes…"


For myself, I think that if it goes as well as the first one, she will have a collection to be proud of at the end of the year! If you would like to see more of Eva's work, check out her blog

nb the first two images are details, the first is of the Janus twins, the second of Old Lady Janus, whilst the third is the complete piece.

Quilted Gardens

I haven't made a 'Healer's Garden' quilt in a long time, so when I suggested to another artist on twitter that we trade work, I thought I would make one for her, and here it is, prior to the quilting. I'm really enjoying working with the odd bit of commercial fabric, which is just as well, given that I now have quite a bit of it! I'm still looking for quirky fabric, though, if anyone wants to suggest where I could find such an animal... cloth with attitude, like the piece of fabric I made Kiss My Cow with.

Now, though, I'm going to spend quite a bit of time focussing on Evolon, as I plan to have a book written and published by 1 August, just in time for Festival Of Quilts, where I'm teaching this year. And yes, that'll be classes on lutradur and evolon, what a surprise! If anyone else is working with Evolon at the moment, I would love to hear about it, you can contact me on email via the blog; I'm particularly looking for interesting images for my gallery section. Let me know if you have work you might like to have included, and we'll take it from there.

Want To See My Etchings?

I know, it's a cliche... but I spent a very happy Saturday making etchings. I learned to etch several years ago, when we were still in Inverness, but it has taken til now to find somewhere offering a small, informal workshop. I managed, however, and this was a real trip down memory lane for me!

If you've never made an etching, the process is actually quite straightforward. You put a resist onto a copper plate, and then flame it, as you can see in the images, so that the resist turns a lovely black, shiny colour. That lets you see your marks as you make them. You then scratch a pattern into the resist, seal the back of the copper so that it doesn't get removed in the etching process, and finally leave the copper suspended in an acid bath for a specific length of time. The time will vary, according to how deeply you wish the bite to be. After rinsing off the acid, you ink the plate and run it through a press.

I managed to make three plates, two of them copper, etched with acid, and another scratched directly into a plastic surface. I was pleased with all of them, but the one in the image is my favourite, and I may well make a painting based on those shapes. You can see from the close up how fine the lines are in etching; it's a complete contrast for me, as my usual marks are large and bold. See what you think!

Support

I'm writing the penultimate chapter in my book on creativity today, and it's about support. I think we all use that word a lot, but we don't really think about what we mean by it. So, I thought I would break it down into its constituent parts. I came up with : sympathy, understanding, feedback, money, time, tutoring, coaching, acceptance, listening, enthusiasm, challenge, play, advice. I suspect that is the tip of the iceberg, though. Maybe your version of support is different to mine; I'd love to hear what you think.

I think the problems start in part when we expect our nearest and dearest to provide all of the above, or as near as makes no difference. My husband is a master of the understatement (he's a Scot, they are always underwhelmed by things...). The closest he comes to praise is 'very nice, dear', though he does do a good line in interpreting abstract images. That said, if it wasn't for his financial support, I couldn't do what I do; my business is not established enough to be generating a lot of money. He does a great line in listening, even though I know he often doesn't actually understand much of what I'm talking about. And, being an accountant, he does all my admin for me. The business of art is not discussed in the book, but I do have to admit that that takes a considerable weight off my shoulders.

For me, I think we need a number of different sources for support. I get mine from friends, family, my online communities. Where do you get yours from?

I talked yesterday about 'Moon Cat I", and here he is. There are another two pieces in the making at the moment, see what you think! The cat and the moon are both made from rust dyed silk habotai. The stitching around the moon and the cat is a lovely lilac/grey metallic thread; the stitching between them is some grey rayon. So there is both sparkle and mystery in this little piece.

Bluescape

It has been an emotional few days. And when the going gets tough, the tough go in the shed and play... in this case, with my encaustic paints. Not something I've done in a while, though I have been using the set up to melt soy wax for batik, of which more another time. I made several pieces, most of which are not worth talking about, but I rather like the piece in the image, 'Bluescape'. I have a lot to learn about working with encaustics, but that doesn't stop me enjoying the journey, or the various outputs along the way. Bluescapes feels free and spontaneous, which I hope are qualities that fill my work. In fact, I feel another piece coming on, based on Bluescape... so I'm off to play some more, in cloth, this time. Maybe a bit larger, though; this piece is a mere 7" by 5".

As well as encaustics, I quilted 'moon cat I' yesterday, and there are at least another two in that series. I have Twitter to thank for that; someone commented about another cat piece I had made, and told me about her white cat, staring at moonlight. So I made moon cat as a response to her description. So there are more of those to be worked on, too. Just the thing to be doing as the snow flurries in the air... not a day for the shed, methinks, despite the very efficient heater.

It's Amazing...

how much time is taken up by things that have nothing much to do with art at all. And I don't mean the housework, here. I spent yesterday working out what to say on a leaflet that would promote my coaching services and tailored workshops. It wasn't easy. In a way, it's a bit like designing an abstract. What you are aiming for (or at least, what I aim for) is clarity, simplicity and an ability to draw in the viewer; pretty much what you need in a brochure, too. But you do have to think, not just about what you want to say, but also what the person reading it wants to know. This is particularly true of coaching; people use the word, but don't really know what it entails. So, in the end, I said this;

I believe we have the answers to our own problems; it's just that we can't always see the wood for the trees. It's my job as a coach to guide you through the wood, paying attention to all the things that are getting in your way. I ask lots of questions, and encourage you to come up with your own answers. Sometimes, I will show you a new way of looking at things. Other times, I may show you a useful technique for doing something, like managing your time better. I will help you to work out what you really want, and plan how to get it. We can work together for as long as you wish, in complete confidence.

Pretty much, I think that says it all. I hope it does, anyway. In the same way, I think that some of my work says everything I want it to say...and then some. Like this digital manipulation of a photograph of a cracked floor tile, which to my eye, expresses all kinds of emotions. What are you trying to say, today? And how are you going to say it?

A Quick Nudge In The Ribs...

...arrived in my mailbox this morning, courtesy of the Universe, or The Explorer's Club, site of motivational writer and speaker (and who knows what else...)Mike Dooley. I like these daily reminders (well, okay, weekday...even the Universe has the weekend off...). For all that they are random, they regularly hit an issue that I need to be encouraged about.

I went for an interview for a full time job on Wednesday, as well as doing some coaching. Yesterday, I did nothing much about anything. I used all kinds of excuses to justify it. I was tired. I had done a lot the day before. I was allowed to look after myself, to rest. I played silly games on the computer, instead of getting on with the things I knew I should have been working on. Today, the message from the Universe was short and sweet (and I quote):

Baby steps spark miracles, marion.

Miracles do not spark baby steps.

Ungawa,
The Universe

Ouch. Today, I'm back to work, and feeling much better about things than I did yesterday. I'm writing leaflets for my coaching services, sending images to someone who asked for them and generally getting active. I'm working for my own, personal miracles. What are you working for today? Or are you having a lazy day, like I had yesterday? We can't work every hour of every day, but we can focus on what we really want, and bring it to fruition. I firmly believe that we get what we focus on...so I'm off to focus on coaching today. I want to help people express themselves creatively. First, though, I have to explain to them what that means...hence the leaflets. And then I'm going to make a coaching blog, so that this blog remains as my creative work blog, and people who want a different kind of encouraging can go to the new blog, instead...or as well. Watch this space for new developments!

The image, by the way, is a collage on board, called 'Falling'.

Coaching and Writing...My Other Hats.

Ever wondered what a creative coach does? Well, I have tried to explain here, but there is nothing like hearing it from someone other than the coach! I'm featured on Anna's blog, Serendipity, here, so if you would like to see what I do, click on the link and find Anna's story.

When we get stuck, I think it is because we lose sight of what is important to us. Sometimes it takes a conversation with someone else, someone unrelated, to help us to see what is in front of our own noses. When I work with people, I remind them that they are the expert in their own process; I'm just a sounding board. Any answers you come up with during a session belong to you, not to me. I'm delighted that Anna got so much from her session with me. I'll be following up with her in a week's time, just to see how she is doing. I think it's essential, when you get an injection of enthusiasm, that you follow it through. Support is something we all need.

Of course, you don't need to be stuck to work with a coach. You might just have the feeling that there is another direction you could be taking, if only you knew what it was... Talking to a coach about your work can show you that hidden path. Or maybe you aren't sure about the direction you are going in, or just plain what direction to take. A conversation with a coach can clear that up in your own head, which, of course, is all that's needed. Or maybe you need to learn a particular skill, like managing your time, or how to motivate yourself. Working with a coach can sort that out, and help you to create a process that is tailored to your needs.

I've been asked about the book I'm writing currently, too, so I thought I'd mention it here, as it is related to the coaching. 'Extending The Zone' pretty much covers all the things I've mentioned here. I wanted to write a book that combined my art experience with my self development management experience. All the tools I've used in business, like time management, apply in the art world, too. It's just a question of tailoring them to suit each individual, and the book is written in such a way as to encourage you to work in your own way, in your own pace, and tailor the process to meet your needs. I hope it will be out in the Spring...it's nearly finished! It will appear as both an Ebook and a printed book, so you will have a choice.

So, that's what I'm up to at present. Working on the book, and working with other people, as well as making my own work. And of course, working on Exquisite Evolon, the follow up to Lovely Lutradur. I'm having a really good time, I have to say, combining all the things I love to do...just like this coach recommends!

Proving Myself Wrong.

Don't you just love it when you do that? I find that if I ever say 'never', the chances are that I'll be doing whatever it is in about six months time. I'll never buy an embellisher...(silly girl...that took less than six weeks, never mind six months). I'll never work in mixed media (duh...). Those, of course, only affect wee me. I'd just like to apologise to anyone who actually listened to me about this next one. Printing with paper bags. I dismiss it on a regular basis, or rather, I used to. Yes, the dyes are the right kind for transfer dyeing with heat...no, it doesn't always work. So don't do it, right? Wrong.

I was in Jill's studio, working just before Christmas. I was working with Evolon, which, because it has a small percentage of nylon in it, can get a bit tetchy when it comes to being ironed with very hot irons... so I always cover it with something before I do, usually greaseproof paper. As none was immediately to hand, I used a very pretty paper bag, instead. Didn't even bother turning it outsides in, just thought, och well, if it transfers, it transfers... As you can see from the images, it certainly did!

The piece is called 'Dragon Island'. It may turn into a series, called 'Map Of The World', but I'm not sure. Problem is that everything I make has the potential for a series, no matter how slim. When I worked as a Self Development Manager, my manager at the time said despairingly that when asked to do something, I always produced a Rolls Royce. Why couldn't I just stick to creating Minis, instead. Much simpler, easier, faster, cheaper... I still think she was nuts. I believe in doing your best, all the time, no matter what the task. Exploring all the avenues. Thinking, researching, reflecting, designing. How else do you achieve the possible, instead of the easy solution. That is nothing but a state of mind, a decision to explore, to take risks. It can be learnt, and it is, in my opinion, a big part of creative thinking. Scary? Sometimes. But I'm happy enough with how my Evolon piece turned out... At the end of the day, my favourite question, or one of them, is 'What is the worst thing that could possibly happen?'. In this case, not a great deal. The dye transferred or it didn't. The Evolon melted, or it didn't. I liked the design, or I didn't. It's only cloth...

So what risk are you going to take this week?

Happy New Year...

..and thank you to everyone who reads this blog (we're now into Year Three!), and my other efforts. I'm very grateful. It feels like having a network of friends all over the world. I love my friends wholeheartedly; many of them have been through thick and thin with me (you know who you are...), and I'm always delighted to add a few more. This year, I added some family to the mix; my sister and I had been estranged, but we're talking twice as fast to make up for it. She and her family are beloved...finding her again has changed my life. So, I have a great deal to be thankful for.

This new year will be as busy as last, and I'm looking forward to getting out and about to meet new people, run some workshops, do some demonstrating, that kind of thing... I aim to do everything I'm doing now...just a little better! May you, too, have a joyful New Year, full of learning and love.

SMART Thoughts, Authentic Aims

At this time of year, we all start thinking about big things, like goals and targets. Even if we're not working, whether for someone else or for ourselves, we still like to plan out what we would like to get done in the New Year. Lots of us jump straight in there, making lists of what to do, and when to do it. SMART, if you haven't come across it before, is an acronym which is meant to remind us of the best way to set goals. Goals, it says, should be;

-Specific
-Measurable
-Achievable
-Realistic
-Time bound.

And that's true. The only way to be sure that you do what you want to do, is to be as specific as that. So, we move from, 'I want to do more dyeing', to ' I want to make x metres of hand dyed fabric by February, and another x metres by August. For more about SMART goals, try the site here for a clear explanation.

I know all this, I've taught lots of other people to work that way, too, and I know it is a great way of managing and measuring performance. The downside, for me, is that it focusses on what I'm going to do. For me, there's a bit more to it than that. I also want to think about how it is I'm going to be. I want to continue to be healthy, for instance. I want to be sure that I'm working authentically, too, making the work I want to make, and not work that I think might be commercial, or might suit this or that market... I've done a bit of that this year, and I don't want to do it any more.

So, I'm starting my goal setting, not with the specifics, but with the general. I'm asking the question, 'what do I want to achieve this year'. After all, if you don't have the big picture clear in your head, you might well miss something. That question, 'what do you want to achieve' is one of my favourites; I use it often when I'm coaching, or talking to people about a problem they have. We jump too quickly to 'fixing' things, without really getting a clear picture of what it is we want out of the situation. We get swept up in the issue, and forget to ask ourselves what is important to us.

What is important to me, this year, is this idea of authenticity. Most of my work comes from my inner landscape, or from talking to other people about theirs. For me, that means trusting myself, listening to my intuition, taking risks, exposing parts of myself that I might have kept hidden before. If you like, I'm defining the way I want to work, before I sit down and write up the goals. I want to work openly, honestly, directly, clearly. I want to continue with the themes I've been working with recently, of scarring, cracking and erosion. I want to work with other people, too, to help them to work out what they need to be authentic, how they need to work, and what they need to work on, to achieve that aim, or whatever else their aim turns out to be. I want to fill my life with joy, and share that joy with others.

Now, I'm ready to start thinking about goals, the specifics, such as the two books I am committed to writing this year. If you are going through the goal setting process, just give yourself some time first, to being clear about what you want to achieve this year, and how you want to achieve it, before you start listing what you are going to do. I'm sure it will help.

Flat Out...

for all the wrong reasons. I've managed to pick up a virus of some kind, which has laid me very low (in bed) for the past week or so. I've given up struggling, and this is the only thing I'm doing today, just to see if I can. All I want for Christmas is... a virus free body. Not as bad as one of my friends, though, who had to go through a knee operation without visitors, as the Norwich hospital has been closed to visitors because of Winter Vomiting Virus. He's at home now, though, and having care lavished upon him... we have some care to lavish on him ourselves, but I'm staying away until I'm sure that I'm no longer infectious.

Work has ceased completely, which is a pest. I just got the creativity book straight in my head, at last, and was ready to finish it this week... but I'm really not thinking straight enough for that. The house looks like a bomb has hit it, and I'm not sure what Robin has been eating this week...but I'm pretty sure that whatever it was, I wouldn't have approved of it. I have a lot of baking to do for Christmas, tidying and cooking, too, but that's not going to happen until I can manage to stay upright for more than half an hour at a time. We have three guests coming to stay, and I'd like to give the impression of being calm and competent, even though I'm not! Mind you, there's a limit to how far you can fool your family...

The image is of a collage I made a couple of weeks ago, see what you think. Meantime, I'm going back to bed...