This weekend, I am attending a three day encaustic workshop with Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch. I am being filled with wonderful information about an artistic medium that I have minimal experience in, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The workshop, being hosted by The Upstart Crow , is covering new and exciting techniques in encaustic, and I am overflowing with both new techniques, and new ideas.
The truth, though, is that for me, being in this workshop makes me feel like a fish out of water; I am a quilter, and a textile artist. At times, I work in mixed media, which I guess puts me in the field of being a mixed media artist. But here, I know that although I love the organic nature and unexpected results of encaustic work (every piece holds a surprise), I am out of my element right now.
I admit that I fully expected more out of myself here; after reading both of Patricia's books, taking 2 single day workshops, and searching out everything on the internet that I could find out about encaustic art, I thought that I would have a bliss filled weekend of experimentation, making beautiful art. The truth, though, is that today, I made a piece of art that I thoroughly dislike. I have already made a few pieces that I like, and even one that I love, but the feeling of making something I don't like at all is new to me. I guess have been fortunate in my journey as a quilter - I've never made a quilt that I didn't like, and most times what I create, I love.
To me, this feeling of being out of my element means that I am stretching myself as an artist; I willingly stepped out of my comfort zone, expecting only minor discomfort. I'll tell you now, that I am expecting much more than minor discomfort, and truthfully, I am still loving every minute of it. I hope that tomorrow, some of these new to me techniques gel in my mind. I will show some of my work after the workshop all done (including the one that I currently "hate"); we are having a "show and tell" tomorrow, which means that I have no pictures. I can tell you now, I will be humbled during our show and tell - I am a "newbie" in a class of people who, for the most part, appear to feel comfortable in their "artist" skin. As much as I have loved this weekend, I'm looking forward to the end of the workshop, and for the chance to step back into my comfort zone as a textile artist.
But, I am also looking forward to working more with encaustic, and to stretching myself as far as possible as a mixed media artist. I know that I am not the only one stretching these days - my blog friend Penny is also stretching herself as an artist, as is another blog friend Karen. I am lucky to be in the company of these people, watching each other grow in our artistic endeavours, and I would love to hear about how you are growing as an artist as well, so that I don't feel so overwhelmed. Please leave a comment telling me about you in your journey these days; let's support each other as artists and artisans!
The truth, though, is that for me, being in this workshop makes me feel like a fish out of water; I am a quilter, and a textile artist. At times, I work in mixed media, which I guess puts me in the field of being a mixed media artist. But here, I know that although I love the organic nature and unexpected results of encaustic work (every piece holds a surprise), I am out of my element right now.
I admit that I fully expected more out of myself here; after reading both of Patricia's books, taking 2 single day workshops, and searching out everything on the internet that I could find out about encaustic art, I thought that I would have a bliss filled weekend of experimentation, making beautiful art. The truth, though, is that today, I made a piece of art that I thoroughly dislike. I have already made a few pieces that I like, and even one that I love, but the feeling of making something I don't like at all is new to me. I guess have been fortunate in my journey as a quilter - I've never made a quilt that I didn't like, and most times what I create, I love.
To me, this feeling of being out of my element means that I am stretching myself as an artist; I willingly stepped out of my comfort zone, expecting only minor discomfort. I'll tell you now, that I am expecting much more than minor discomfort, and truthfully, I am still loving every minute of it. I hope that tomorrow, some of these new to me techniques gel in my mind. I will show some of my work after the workshop all done (including the one that I currently "hate"); we are having a "show and tell" tomorrow, which means that I have no pictures. I can tell you now, I will be humbled during our show and tell - I am a "newbie" in a class of people who, for the most part, appear to feel comfortable in their "artist" skin. As much as I have loved this weekend, I'm looking forward to the end of the workshop, and for the chance to step back into my comfort zone as a textile artist.
But, I am also looking forward to working more with encaustic, and to stretching myself as far as possible as a mixed media artist. I know that I am not the only one stretching these days - my blog friend Penny is also stretching herself as an artist, as is another blog friend Karen. I am lucky to be in the company of these people, watching each other grow in our artistic endeavours, and I would love to hear about how you are growing as an artist as well, so that I don't feel so overwhelmed. Please leave a comment telling me about you in your journey these days; let's support each other as artists and artisans!
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