I find the end of the year offers the opportunity and the time to stop and think about the year just past, what has happened, how we made it through and what we made.
The year has had highs and lows, like any year, and less time than I would have liked to just make art; but as I sat and went back thru the things I'd done, I was happy to see that I had managed to make 10 pieces that felt like favourites. In fact it was good to discover there were more than 10 things so I had to choose! It had felt a bit like I hadn't done as much as i had hoped to do, yet once again, the process of stopping and reflecting helped me see that a lot had actually happened in the studio.
As part of my list-loving nature, here are my favourite ten pieces I made this year. As ever, I can't honestly rank them, so they just get listed alphabetically.
It is an enjoyable process to be reminded of things that have been put away or moved on or headed elsewhere. A bit like re-visiting old friends.
1. A Letter a Week 1 a hanging book of pierced holes. I love the way it falls and its lightness...
2. A Letter a Week 2 the colours, the paper and the dos-a-dos binding just made me feel happy about this wee book...
3. A Subversive Stitch my first edition for BookArtObject this year - I loved the mad red threads and the feminist work that emerged...
4. Bound a book I never thought I would think I liked, but I found it powerful...
5. Emerging from shadow the second collaborative book with Susan, forced to work dark, but ended up in the light...
6. Memory Keepers the third collaboration, and a joyful travel memoir
7. Rusty apple an example of my newly discovered joy of rusting with tea both green and black...
8. Seeking Solitude the first collaborative book - random threads, beautiful words...
9. Snow falling in daylight my second edition for BAO - the elegant simplicity of the embossed snowflakes...
10. The Unbearable Whiteness... a marker of our wet and white summer earlier in the year...
Thanks for wandering a little way down memory lane with me...
The year has had highs and lows, like any year, and less time than I would have liked to just make art; but as I sat and went back thru the things I'd done, I was happy to see that I had managed to make 10 pieces that felt like favourites. In fact it was good to discover there were more than 10 things so I had to choose! It had felt a bit like I hadn't done as much as i had hoped to do, yet once again, the process of stopping and reflecting helped me see that a lot had actually happened in the studio.
As part of my list-loving nature, here are my favourite ten pieces I made this year. As ever, I can't honestly rank them, so they just get listed alphabetically.
It is an enjoyable process to be reminded of things that have been put away or moved on or headed elsewhere. A bit like re-visiting old friends.
1. A Letter a Week 1 a hanging book of pierced holes. I love the way it falls and its lightness...
2. A Letter a Week 2 the colours, the paper and the dos-a-dos binding just made me feel happy about this wee book...
3. A Subversive Stitch my first edition for BookArtObject this year - I loved the mad red threads and the feminist work that emerged...
4. Bound a book I never thought I would think I liked, but I found it powerful...
5. Emerging from shadow the second collaborative book with Susan, forced to work dark, but ended up in the light...
6. Memory Keepers the third collaboration, and a joyful travel memoir
7. Rusty apple an example of my newly discovered joy of rusting with tea both green and black...
8. Seeking Solitude the first collaborative book - random threads, beautiful words...
9. Snow falling in daylight my second edition for BAO - the elegant simplicity of the embossed snowflakes...
10. The Unbearable Whiteness... a marker of our wet and white summer earlier in the year...
Thanks for wandering a little way down memory lane with me...
Big huge sigh of contentment...going back for a second look...and a third and...
ReplyDeleteMay 2013 be as creative and joy-filled as 2012, but without the fuss.
Hi J - it's nice to go back and look at our stuff again isn't it? Sometimes we get so darn busy that we forget. I literally thought I hadn't done much this year at all except three books with Susan...and I loved that I found that I had! Looking forward a year of more ups in 2013 and much fun, friendship and creativity.
DeleteWonderful to be reminded of so many gorgeous things. A real box of delights, especially 'Tenebrae' That was so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lesley - I'd love to see your year in review - it would be fascinatingly full of exquisite and intriguing things! I'm glad you liked Tenebrae as well - it did what it needed to do. Go well - here's to a year of creativity and peace.
Deletei love all of those too - so very much... but one of the things you did this year that i am particularly fond of is your burning out words with incense and leaving a meaningful one behind...
ReplyDeleteHi Mj - many thanks. I had forgotten my burnt pages! They are some of my faves too - and I think I will pursue them more next year, so maybe I'll remember to feature them another time. Goes to show I wasn't really remembering all that well...best to you may we share a year of peace, creativity and friendship.
DeleteThis is such an end of year treat - thank you Fiona! So elegant and peaceful, your work is just inspirational.
ReplyDeleteThanks you Carol - I find it really helps me to recall what i got up to thru the year. it was such a year if ups and downs I had forgotten a few lovely things, and so was so happy to be reminded of them again. Go well into the new year and may it bring you peace and inspiration.
Deleteinspirational work. i absolutely love your vision and can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve for next year! I follow your collaborations with such pleasure - thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Terrie - it's been such fun to go back and re-discover what i have done in the past year. Thanks for your support and participation - may your new year be full of happiness, peace and creativity. Go well.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect 10. So inspirational to see so many examples of unique and creative works. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Seth - what a great way to put it! I feel like Nadia Comaneci...
DeleteI think I would love it if everybody chose their top ten of the year and we had a good hop from blog to blog to see it all together - a year's work has lots of oomph that way doesn't it? Thanks for visiting, go well into the new year and may it be filled with peace and creativity.