A little something from nothing…
Distraction is sometimes the best way to get myself unstuck.
(Im still truly uncomfortable with my short and reportedly cute, adorable and not so bad haircut, but Ill get over it.)
More to my discomfort these days is that I am stuck on an illustration project that brought me to a screeching halt last week. The problem is that I have psyched myself out. It is a lovely project that just floated into my lap like an incredible gift. A friend of mine wrote a charming story that I have longed to illustrate for quite some time. Every rich and beautifully crafted paragraph unfolded into illustrations in my mind as I read it, and I knew it would be a beautiful childrens book. When the author called me a couple months ago and told me her agent may be willing to take it on, I was mad with glee and whirling with ideas. I am still gleeful (and quite mad) but have whirled myself into a hole created by my own expectations of my artistic abilities. Its my age-old frustration of seeing something fabulous in my imagination, knowing in my soul what I want it to look likeand then not being able to execute what I see in my head when I try to draw it out on the page.
IknowIknowIknow that I am good at what I do. Pretty DANG good at times. I believe that about me. But because I have this delightful opportunity, and the story is so great– in my head this has to be my VERY BEST work. And when I put that kind of pressure on myself, I am never satisfied with my workand the day after I have finished a piece—I hate it.
So then I have little artistic hissy fits. *kicks stuff*
Heres what I did for distraction.
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Silly chair before:
Silly chair after:
I still have some detail work to do on the arm, need to steam and scotchguard the fabric, and I am going to put the buttons back on-(covered in the gold fabric). The colors look a little off in this photo–but in real life, even though I’ve mixed stripes and patterns–it works in the room and with the general oddity of our little house.
We have two of these crazy chairs. The first one Don bought at a garage sale for a dollar about 17 years ago. Pictured here is one the boys and their friends found as a curb give-away when they were in Jr. High. They were so excited when they hauled it home to give to me!
Don and I saw the exact chair style in an expensive and hip furniture shop when we were in Santa Fe years ago. It was covered in luxurious chamois suede and priced at a shocking $9,000.00! We laughed hard at that! Quite a mark-up!
It’s taken me years to attempt the complex recovering of this one–but it was the perfect diversion!
Perhaps I will try getting back to my drawing board now…..
:)xo
Adagio
OMG you have such talent!
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I remember when your boys found that chair… and how you now had TWO of them with an average cost of 50 cents per! TOTALLY AWESOME. And, I love the redux! I find it hard to believe that you’d question your many and varied artistic talents for even one moment. SERIOUSLY. Re: the project — see #3 here… http://www.opendiary.com/entryview.asp?authorcode=D747685&entry=10004&mode=<P> I know… easier said than done… but what you have to do sooner or later, eh? I’m 100% confident your best work will be of the sock-knocker-off variety. Much aloha,
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‘Tis gorgeous!!! Be well,
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That turned out FAAAABULOUS. *so, so impressed*
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you should sell it on ebay for $9,000 🙂
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Oh, K, I love your eye. I need such help in hanging a photo, let alone making my house so homey. I have many talents, but interior decorating isn’t one of them. Actually, I can do a mean set-dressing, but I can’t do the same with my house. What’s THAT about?!?! 🙂 The chair is delish.
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Wow! You have amazing talent.
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Fabulous! I love it! xoxox
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that chair is AWESOME! really really!
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I know you dont need advice, sometimes encouragement/stories help. Tori Amos once told me that she hated most everything she wrote right after she created it. She said that isnt the time to judge your work. That’s certainly how I tend to feel with any creative writing, it’s all a mess and isnt what I want it to be at all and I cant get out what I want it to be and yah. I’ve learned to just create and not judge and walk away. and come back later to look at it and see how I want to shape it. although it’s tough to go through the phases like that, those are usually the ones that I might cry over the most (three big cries over my Paradise Lost paper my first semester) because, in part, I felt so much pressure because I loved the book, the professor, and my topic soooo much, but also because the topic really touched on something deep for me. Although it was tough, I love/d that paper dearly, it wasnt perfect, but i loved it. it got very damn close to what I wanted it to become. and I’m proud of it. if/when your cup is running on empty, go play in another art form. which sounds like what you did. 🙂
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RYN: Sure thing! J
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Your talents are there. Always. Just a bit of a deserved breather. Love you.
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…and the question begs asking…what can’t you do? 🙂 The chair truly looks fab. And you my dear…are more than just dang good at what you do! You’re fab too! 🙂
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Oh, Oh, Oh!!! I LOVE that chair!!!! You make me gasp like a little kid!! I Still want to be you! AS for the hair (and somehow I missed this one, forgive me!), K, you are ALWAYS beautiful. You radiate joy. I am sure your hair is perfect frosting and yes, will grow! Please do the illustrations. Even my juices are tingling for you! *hugs hugs*
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I love the chair redo! It looks amazingly comfy, too…the kind of chair that makes you want to curl up with a good book. Your frustration over the illustration project describes how I’ve always felt about art. I can ‘see’ what I want something to look like, but I can never actually get it there. (most 5 year olds draw better than I do!)
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Wow – I LOVE that chair, and I really really love what you did to it – you could go into the Redo business!
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Quite an interesting furniture design! Unusual. You did a great job on the stripes and colors. Good luck with the illustrations! Wow, it’s wonderful opportunity!
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I’d just like to know HOW she got an agent! LOL! I’m beginning to think that the query letters are harder to write than the book. All I know to do is keep knocking on doors… The comment about taking a long time to master the challenging reupholstering: I found that when I hit my forties I was more open to challenges I would not have attempted in the past. Now that I’m in my 50s, I wade infearlessly. If its awful, I’ll try again. Which brings me to your limbo-like state regarding the illustration: Just start. It won’t be perfect. It doesn’t have to be yet. Buy a very large stack of paper and start with rough sketching. As your hand moves and frees up, so will your brain. The first sketches will be useless warm-up, but necessary to get the creativity flowing. You can do this. You can see it. You know what belongs where. You can take out the wrong stuff later, but get that hand moving.
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RYN: OMG yes. My fear of moths is only a fraction that of e*****s, if you can imagine. I can’t even bear type the word *hangs head in shame*
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Wow!
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Great makeover!
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oh woman…(smiling) you are just so good. dont beat yourself up, let yourself flow…
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I like the ‘after’ much better. 😉 ryn: she most certainly has my heart. I can only hope she will not do it ill – she can be quite a fierce character! best,
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I’ve often said, over the years…you have the most talent, the most wonderful family, the best attitude about life…hmmm You’re just a beautiful person upside down and inside out.. I like that chair: a rarity of style. My little birdhouse still sits on my desk.. Hugs
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Oh, adorable chair! And by now I know the book is illustrated and the hair has grown. Thank you, thank you for that glowingly kind note. You are a dear. A very talented dear.
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RYN: A couple of times recently when I’ve walked by my tropical purse collection, I’ve thought to come here and say, “Why does it not surprise me that you’d notice the door handles?” Today, I happened to have the thought while at OD. Life unfolds to the better way… eventually, sometimes. J I hope life is unfolding well for you these days. Much aloha,
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Wow! COOL chair!!! I can certainly empathize with your (temporary!) stall in light of daunting expectations, but am confident that you’ll rise to the occasion… Meanwhile, SUCH a lovely distraction! That lounging-chair is SO you! :-])
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