View Full Version : Winter Artistic Pursuits
This past week I've realized how much I miss painting. Last week we were at our friend's house watching a gorgeous sun set in the Pacific Ocean and I had a huge desire to paint it - the oranges, purples, blues, silvers... And yesterday, looking around my garden I saw so much life still. We've had an unusually warm and dry fall here. We'll probably pay dearly for it later because we really need the rain, but right now it's beautiful. Again, I missed painting. When I paint, I feel incredibly peaceful. Time just falls away.
I haven't painted in ages. I think of it as a warm-weather activity because I like to paint outside - the lighting and scenery are much better and the cleanup is easier. But I think I need to reevaluate that. Why not paint all the time and find the beauty in every season?
I'm interested to see what other people consider a winter artistic pursuit. What do you do to feed your (artistic) soul during the cold and dreary months?
This is my 2nd winter to do knitting and now I'm learning crochet.
I also sew.
I noticed I haven't been out to the glass studio to play with my kiln, it's kind of cold in there since we aren't running the big glass furnaces or the glory hole.
Bastelmutti
1-2-12, 2:07pm
Usually knitting, crochet, sewing. However, with birthday money I picked up a few tools and materials I needed for making leather book covers, so that is what I want to do this winter. I learned how to do it last summer, just need to refresh the instructions in my head from my notes & find a good place to do it. It does involve hammering holes in leather, so I'm not sure what the best work surface for that would be considering I don't have a workshop space, just a regular apartment.
In February I will be making up table designs for two or three upcoming flower shows. I will have to sew some things, probably. I am limiting myself to 3 vignettes. If not careful I could get carried away mondo.
I find that no matter what art or craft hing you do, you (the general you) have to got have work space and storage space. I now have both and have promised myself to keep it unclutered.
I love knitting. I usually listen to music or an audio book while I knit. It's so relaxing...
I'm an artist (printmaker) who sells mostly in the summer at art fairs, so the wintertime is when I try to create a backlog of work, mat and frame it and get ready for the summer season.
Although I really don't like the winter, I have to admit it can be beautiful...if you don't have to go out in it. We had the first big snowfall of the season today, and I shovelled out the long driveway little by little all day. Luckily I didn't have to drive anywhere until tomorrow!
Watergoddess, get those paints out and get to work!
Since art installations are my main focus each piece does take a long time to complete. Currently in the planning stages for a piece I'll need to have done by July.
For the smaller daily artistic accomplishments that keep me inspired and energized include being an active member of two local stitch n !itch groups, going to museums & galleries with friends. Issey Miyake at Midtown and 40 years of Vivienne Westwood Shoes is on my list for this week =) I know the Bay Area has a HUGE number galleries, museums and public art. Even if I don't like the artist or the style I can usually find something inspiring such as how prolific the artist was, reminding me to just keep working and completing projects.
Learning to draw is something I've been slowly working on. Two-Dimensional art is not my forte but I do need to learn enough so I can more easily show others what I am attempting to accomplish with the art installations.
A creativity coach I have worked with before is finally offering the Artist's Way online! The 12-week course starts next week =)
I love the Bay Area and would be at The Crucible working on a larger scale metal & stained glass sculpture if I could!
Could you do similar art with a less messy medium such as oil pastels or colored pencils and visit a cafe with a nice view? I've had to change mediums to continue with my creative pursuits due to various life circumstances.
Thanks, guys!
I was at B&N today to buy a calendar and I found an awesome magazine titled "Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women." It's a collection of women artists and their work spaces. So cool. I resisted buying it because I knew I would spend my time reading it instead of working on my own stuff. But I know I'll go back and look at it some more. :)
I also like charcoal and pencil - especially doing portraits. And I like photography too but with film, not digital, and film is getting harder to find. Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. These are definitely good winter arts. Thanks for the push!
I love The Artist Way. How cool that you'll be taking a class on it. Can you share the details? I've had the book for years but the only thing I do regularly from it is the Morning Pages.
I think we should start an Artist thread. I want to hear more about all the projects you guys work on - and the different mediums are exciting.
I did The Artist Way about 10 years ago I guess with an on-line group. Should really do that again sometime but I'd love to do it with a local group.
Today's quote from my brand new calendar:
"In the midst
of winter,
I found
there was,
within me,
an invincible
summer."
Albert Camus
Long ago painter here and really feeling the frustration lately of not being creative. I brought out a painting I did many years ago as it has a winter landscape and it reminded me that I left my calling behind when life got busy. I have tried to do knitting and crocheting but can't sit still long enough I guess to ever finish anything. I alsi sew but not so often anymore. I have taken the Artist's Way twice now and found it helpful at the time. For now, I will look for some spring classes and see what happens. And work on my landscape design projects on paper.
Watergoddess are you me posting under a different name? Sigh......................... I have gotten so far away from my artistic side. I really need to find my way back.
I like taking classes too because it makes me be consistent with it. I wish my comm college offered more night classes, most of their good ones are during the day. For a while now I've thought it would be fun to offer classes myself in my garden during the warmer months. With art, the biggest hurdle is just showing up.
Talking about this is really motivating me to create. I have an old friend who is a very talented painter and she offered to tutor me for free. I think I'm going to give her a call and see if the offer is still open.
Watergoddess are you me posting under a different name?
Maybe... I've always wanted a simple mind. :) And we're posting at the same time too!
I tell you, I think we can all motivate each other here. This could prove to be a very fun adventure!
Artist's Way details per your request, San Diego Creative Connection's website: http://www.sdcreativeconnection.com/
Rachel has done an amazing job of helping me accomplish my dream of being an artist and her Artist's Way class was a huge help. I'm really looking forward to starting her online version late next week and I know I'd love to have simple living friends join me :)
If anyone is in the San Diego area ask her about the regular class, too.
I like your idea about an artist's thread, we seem to have quite a few here and I know we need all the support we can give each other :)
You are welcome to send me a private message if you have any additional questions,
Dhiana
Thanks, guys!
I was at B&N today to buy a calendar and I found an awesome magazine titled "Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women." It's a collection of women artists and their work spaces. So cool. I resisted buying it because I knew I would spend my time reading it instead of working on my own stuff. But I know I'll go back and look at it some more. :)
I also like charcoal and pencil - especially doing portraits. And I like photography too but with film, not digital, and film is getting harder to find. Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. These are definitely good winter arts. Thanks for the push!
I love The Artist Way. How cool that you'll be taking a class on it. Can you share the details? I've had the book for years but the only thing I do regularly from it is the Morning Pages.
I think we should start an Artist thread. I want to hear more about all the projects you guys work on - and the different mediums are exciting.
I like writing, knitting, sewing and embroidery in the winter. I don't know why I think of writing in particular as a winter activity. Maybe because I live in the North and feel that I have to be outside and active when there is sunlight and warmth. In the winter I feel like I can sit down and write because it is dark and cold out.
I do a lot of our studio photography - jury shots, promo shots, catalog shots etc. I always take an upclose detail shot of the glass and the other day I put together (on vistaprint) a calendar of just upclose color shots. Gave it to DH (and a few other relatives) for Christmas. He loved it. I love the color study. The color combinations are such a journey and pretty inspiring in my artistic pursuits. I put one photo in my album on here so you can see what I'm talking about. Click on the community tag and then albums.
Artist's Way details per your request, San Diego Creative Connection's website: http://www.sdcreativeconnection.com/
Dhiana
Thanks for the info! Wow, what an awesome way to make a living. I wish I lived in SD so I could go to the Coffee Klatch :).
I'm going to start an Artist thread. Where do you guys think I should put it? I'm picturing a place where everyone can share their art, as well as a place for support and encouragement.
I'd keep it in the same forum as this thread, under Hobbies & Creativity.
I'm so glad I found this! I finished a hand bag today and was thinking about going to a gift shop just to look around but decided instead to go up to my "studio" (aka our extra bedroom with a huge 50's dinette table where I can keep my sewing machine set up full time) and dig through fabric for another project. It's so much easier to look at pinterest at what other crafters are doing than actually doing it yourself - need to more action, less watching in 2012!
I love knitting. I usually listen to music or an audio book while I knit. It's so relaxing...
Me too! Seeing something literally grow from hours of work is satisfying. I haven't knitted in many years, so I'll need to practice a bit. I'd really like to try wool socks, but the multiple needles scare me. I think I'll make a few cotton dish cloths for practice, maybe for some holiday gift giving next year.
I have a Sunset needlepoint project of a horse's head that is really difficult. I'd much rather do counted cross stitch than follow the stamped-on design, which seems so much easier to screw up. This must be finished before I start something new.
WG, I can so relate to your need to tap into the artistic. I have done graphite portraits which is fun although I get sleepy if I spend too long at it. I have three projects to work on, one is well under way of family pets who have passed away.
Lately, I got into sewing with vivid colours. I made some wonderful placemats last year with large 6-inch diameter pointsettias of deep rose, soft pinks, muted whites and I loved, loved doing this. This year I made some tea cozies with 3 inch orange, yellow and bright red roses and some white magnolias mixed in. Lovely and bright. I have decided to make some placemats of that fabric to enjoy some brightness during our meals. I am now going to go on a hunt for bright floral prints to make placemats for the different seasons. Thinking large tulips or daffodil prints for spring.
I gave the pointsettia placemats to our two DD's and families and several friends. One friend took hers with her to decorate her room during her stay in a hotel by herself - she told me that she felt that someone loved her and at home there. Another friend placed hers on top of a cranberry red tablecloth which made the pointsettias really glow. I gave a rose tea cozy to a friend who was giving up coffee and trying different teas and her DH had given her a lovely teapot for Christmas. All my fabrics so far have been highly discounted in sale price so mostly it is my effort sewing. The serger that DH gave me in 2010 is wonderful to work with.
WG, what about sketching with pastels in bold strokes as they are transportable?
I went thru my fabric stash and found a piece of silk. It is probably 60" wide and I have just under 2 yards. It is pink with butterflies. It is drapery weight. I bought it at a garage sale for $2. the person who sold it told me she loved it but never could think of anything to so with it. Now I have the same problem. Any ideas? The colors really don't fit in my house...
As an artist I work year round. I get out in the field whenever the weather permits and take time to sketch, find new ideas or simply to take photographs for future work. Winter hikes are often an inspriation and provided the temeratures are above 32 and there is no wind chill I can work. Any colder and my arthitis gets in the way.
I went thru my fabric stash and found a piece of silk. It is probably 60" wide and I have just under 2 yards. It is pink with butterflies. It is drapery weight. I bought it at a garage sale for $2. the person who sold it told me she loved it but never could think of anything to so with it. Now I have the same problem. Any ideas? The colors really don't fit in my house...
Would it work well for you for pants or a shift dress (either choice lined for stability) for the spring and summer?
Aqua Blue, what about a cushion with matching table runner or line as use as a throw or if it is very washable, make a simple wrap with sleeves for cooler weather or over nightwear?
I went thru my fabric stash and found a piece of silk. It is probably 60" wide and I have just under 2 yards. It is pink with butterflies. It is drapery weight. I bought it at a garage sale for $2. the person who sold it told me she loved it but never could think of anything to so with it. Now I have the same problem. Any ideas? The colors really don't fit in my house...
How about a bag with fun coordinating fabric inside, You could also make a matching cosmetic bag, eyeglasses case, coin purse, or hair accessory to use the remaining fabric. The nicer fabric stores often carry the notions & handles for various bag styles or you could find what you want online probably.
A teen/young adult might like to have the cool fabric cut into shapes and used as 'patches' on a worn out pair of jeans.
We'd love to see what you eventually do with the fabric so post photos when you're done :)
I did use another piece of the fabric to line two totes I made. The outside is purple upostery(sp?) fabric. They turned out really nice. I had been thinking of making some cloth boxes to sit on some closet shelves. It might work for that. I have to give that some more thought.
I thought about clothes of some sort, but in all honesty I know I wouldn't end up wearing it. I'm a pretty plain Jane when it comes to clothes and this would be too flashy for me. I don't know how washable it is, but I have scraps from another piece I could wash and see. Thanks for the ideas.
I went thru my fabric stash and found a piece of silk. It is probably 60" wide and I have just under 2 yards. It is pink with butterflies. It is drapery weight. I bought it at a garage sale for $2. the person who sold it told me she loved it but never could think of anything to so with it. Now I have the same problem. Any ideas? The colors really don't fit in my house...
What about a collection of pillows that can be given as gifts? The fabric sounds gorgeous and I can totally picture sofa and bed pillows. The pillows would look very high-end and luxurious, I think.
Can you post a picture of it to give us a better idea?
I wanted to thank Dhiana for mentioning the Artist's Way class. I've signed up for it and I'm really looking forward to it. In case anyone else is interested in it, it starts on Jan 12th and it's a 12-week class:
http://www.sdcreativeconnection.com/
Writing and a bit of needlework for me! I did a less-ambitious variant of nanowrimo this year, and started The Artist's Way right afterwards. I'm not in love with the god-talk, but I think it's still worthwhile to work through. I've always found it easy to be too busy to do creative things.
I kind of have pony mom's problem: there are the projects I want to do, and the ones that need to get done. Also needlework for me. It's especially annoying when one stops being "want to" and becomes "need to" midway through...
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