The nature of habits

boohoo, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.
With the start of school just around a very close corner, that multitude of unstructured leisurely hours to do what I want is nearly at an end.  At work (I am a teacher), it was decided that I would move to a different classroom.  While the new location has lots going for it, there has been a huge amount of work involved in getting it settled.  So my holiday ended a fair bit sooner than usual and I am already mourning the curtailment of my time for Annclinations activities.
This summer, while joining in on Traci Bunkers' 30-day challenge (previous posts), one of the things I learned in the process was that being an artist and creating art is a choice.  It needs to be overtly practiced or it risks being down-classed to a pastime or hobby.  During the 30-days, there were times I really had a hard time "getting my art on."  No matter, snatched bits of moments here and there were all it took to have "something" to show for my time.  The commitment to blog it really helped.  Now that my work-a-day-world responsibilities are looming on the horizon, it is my intent to do more of my art in small snippets.  Here's where I'm realizing, as so thousands have before me, that regular blogging can really help.
It has already been 11 days since my last post.  The photo above was taken on the 23rd.  While the disintegration of my beloved veneer was frustrating, it wasn't that which kept me away from Blogger.  It was lack of habit, I guess.  Habits are tricky things.  Bad ones are nearly impossible to get rid of and new ones just as difficult to establish.  Any insights into the nature, creation and maintaining of habits would interest me greatly.

Finished!

aire_le_lignon_fc_necklace_bracelet, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

Good day today! I finished the bracelet and necklace for soccer player granddaughter. The cane motif is the logo for her team: Aïre-le-Lignon.

Now on to other projects.

Steal away

Bijou in the bush, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

I didn't do anything artsy today. No, that's not completely true, I did do some online research to help me in a couple of my current projects. I just didn't have time or the emotional energy to be artsy.  With this admission, so too comes the realization my days of artsy abandon are soon to be transformed into the real world.  Like Bijou, who likes to settle herself in secret corners, I would like to steal away to some such place and extend my stay-cation just a little longer. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and do look forward to getting back, seeing the students, my colleagues and meeting the challenges of a new year. That said, one of the aspects that I do love about my amazing job are the vacations!

However, it is the middle of August after all and the school year begins full-tilt in a couple of weeks. In fact, there are a lot of places in the world where school has already been in session. So, I have no right to moan.  It's just that I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've done / learned this summer, particularly that "doing" art has to become overt and intentional or it remains merely an interest, a hobby or a pastime. I hope that as my schedule becomes more complicated with the responsibilities of my work-a-day world, I can build that artful intentionality into my routine.

Polyclay play

Polyclay play, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

What a busy and fun day playing in the clay with C. and E.! They had great ideas and were a pleasure to do this activity with!  They really kept me hopping and were so, rightfully, proud of their treasures.

Aïre-le-Lignon FC, take 2

aire_le_lignon_take 2, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

On day 21 of 30 Days to Get Your Art On, I made another version of this cane. I learned a lot about what not to do.

1. Minimum of 5 centimeters tall really helps cane reducing.
2. Clay used in cane needs to be the same brand and of the same consistency.
3. Clear contrast in colors is really important, particularly if the cane is going to be greatly reduced.
4. Letting the cane relax is vital.
5. Taking one's time and being patient during actual reduction is crucial.

In addition, I found the suggestions made by Tami Shvat in her article, "Wrapping and Reducing Canes" very useful.  So, too, were Julie Eakes pointers in both her free and paying Craftedu broadcasts extremely practical.

Can't wait to put the jewelry together for granddaughter, E's, birthday!  I have enough cane left to make things for her entire team!  Hmmmmm.

Day 30 of 30 Days of Get Your Art On

Day 30, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.
I made it and now I understand what my 30 Days of Get Your Art On predecessors experienced at the end of their run of the challenge.  Though I ran it much much later than any of the rest of them and though there have likely been few followers, it was a very worthwhile experience.  I learned a lot and accomplished many tasks I probably wouldn't have otherwise.
The principal recurrent theme which met me at nearly every turn was the very steep learning curve I found myself on most of the time.  Is that what art is?  Does it get easier?
Today's activity was a case in point.  I edited my blog banner and got my web-site up and running.  Talk about an uphill trek!  No matter.  A simple page can be found at www.annclinations.com.  Hopefully, adding to it won't be as challenging as getting it going was!
Before signing off, I want to thank Traci Bunkers and all the other artists who inspired me along the way!  I intend to continue.

Day 29: Art sideways

For day 29, my art wasn't head-on.  It was full of lateral opportunities for enrichment and stimuli.  

We took one of my husband's grandchildren, T., on a shopping expedition to Bern.  Our focal point was the Boesner art supply store in Aarberg to which T. had a gift certificate.  Their online catalog is impressive.  However, the actual store is nirvana!  Both of us thoroughly enjoyed roaming the aisles bursting with materials and inspiration.  We came away with treasures to further our respective arts.

T. is really into Warhammer.  There is a hidden store / workshop /gaming room in Bern that we managed to find and where T. was able to spend some of his hard-earned centimes on Dark Elf Dreadlord on Black Dragon.  The detail of the model is spectacular.  T. will have hours and hours of pleasure constructing and painting this mythical creature.  I can't wait to see the finished product!

Another draw to Bern on this day was the Bern Buskers Streetmusic Festival.  Though set to start at 18:00, we decided we could take in whatever acts we could for an hour or so before heading back to Geneva.  We were dazzled by the organisation, the color and the diversity of it all.

One of the acts we really wanted to see was Heinz Baut who builds a free-standing tower out of 47 ash poles and a sack of ropes.  He seems to be quite a showman.  Though we had front-row seats, we only managed to see him set up his working area, lights, pile of poles and the initial five roped together before we had to head to the train station.  We will certainly be watching for opportunities to see his act somewhere else!

While we were watching Mr Baut's set-up, we were regaled with the music of the Alphorn Experience.  There is nothing like them!  See for yourself.

Day 28

All finished!, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.


The necklace is complete and packaged, ready for shipping to my mother tomorrow!

day 27

day 27, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

It was a very busy day!

Day 26

day 26, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

It took me the entire day to do this mostly-copper mock-up of my Charm Necklace for Judy. That said, I think it was time well spent. I learned a lot!

• working on a dressmaker's dummy is a great way to see how a necklace looks
• working a short-ish bit of chain into a necklace such at this isn't necessarily easy
• there is such a thing as too asymmetrical
• there is no better school than that of trial-and-error

Tomorrow I start making the fine silver components needed and begin re-wrapping the beads, in silver this time.  

If I am lucky, I might actually finish this in time for her to receive it prior to my mother's birthday!!

Day 25

Day 25, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

In StudioMojo, number 12, Cynthia Tinapple ends her entry with some sage advice for the end of summer:

"To do great work one must be very idle as well as very industrious."
— Samuel Butler

Just what I was thinking! I gloried in idleness on day 25.

Thanks, Cynthia!

Days 23 and 24

Day 23 I tried my hand at creating the focal bead for the necklace I am making for my mother's birthday.  The pastel, water-color-ish disk beads in the top photo were my first attempt.  They are pretty beads, but not what I was aiming for.  The bead in the mosaic is much more like what I was aiming for.

Day 24 I buffed and waxed the dish of beads.

I have a lot to learn about photography!

Day 22

Today's "art" was a Julia Cameron-style artist's date.  KE and I went to the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern to see the two current exhibitions.  Though we both felt somewhat put off by a rather helter-skelter organisation of the displays, I came away greatly inspired by Klee's use of color and line.  I would happily go there again and I certainly want to go deeper with my understanding of Klee as an artist.

Day 21

Day 21, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.

Today's work involved finishing a soccer inspired cane for my husband's granddaughter whose birthday is at the end of the month. She is quite the player and hopefully will enjoy having a custom-made bracelet celebrating her team. Mind you, reducing it is going to be a challenge and a half!!

Day 20

Day 20, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.


Today's work involved lots of buffing and waxing of beads.  I think I have also finally decided on the color palette for mom's necklace. Additionally, I want to use Janice Abarbanel's bead done for a July color challenge as the inspiration for the focal bead for the piece.  I am waiting for more Pardo Professional Art Clay to arrive as I ran out.  Fingers crossed I can come up with a bead as spectacular as hers!!


Also on the docket for today, I did a color scale, à la Maggio, using Pardo Professional Art Clay yellow, red and blue.   Really liking this clay by Pardo!

Day 19: Buffing and serging and dying -- oh my!

Day 19, a photo by Annclinations on Flickr.


Thank heavens for my dremel and my homemade buffing wheel!  I buffed and waxed lots  of beads today.  Their luster makes me happy.  Having completed that stage of the project, I decided to put the charm bracelet in amongst the beads to see what the effect was.  The beads I liked the best in the steps up to now don't look very nice with the sterling silver.  Giant head slap!  Of course they don't!  Out of the then obvious need to rethink my palette, I decided to sand, buff and polish the dark teal beads and the pink ones that I rejected the other day.  They are in the tumbler now, along with various and sundry other beads I made some time ago but never prepped.


While waiting for the tumbler to work its magic, I decided to get back to the ribbon trials that I started on day 14.  I managed to coax the serger into creating three more ribbons.  Happily, they are looking more professional than I thought they might.  In order to tint these new ribbons, I pulled out a silk painting kit I bought for one of the grandchildren a few years ago.  At the time, it didn't really seem appropriate for her, so I kept it.  Among the colors in the kit were a cyan blue, magenta and lemon yellow.  I decided that it would be a good place to start.  The photo shows the two trial ribbons and two undyed ones.  I look forward to learning more about dying.  It seems that gravity and capillary action can both play an interesting role in the final outcome.  Though these ribbons are clearly not for my mother's birthday necklace, the work I did today will be very useful for future endeavors.


When I put the silver charm bracelet next to the beads, not only did I find my original color ideas weren't going to work, I also learned that the focal bead(s) I made aren't going to work for this piece either.  Not to worry, I have some ideas for solving that predicament cooking on the back burner......


Happy Swiss national day!!