Getting out of my comfort zone as an artist
So, over Christmas I thought – how do I stay inspired to get out of my comfort zone? Well, by making art I wouldn’t normally do… so I signed up to my friend Julia’s @festival_comopedropormicasa Domestika course in textile printing.
It’s been so long since I did a course in anything new. It’s just good to get a new perspective sometimes, not that we need to be ‘taught’ anything. Just using different materials or creating an inspirational sketchbook. Listening to someone else talk about which artists and designers they have found inspiring opens doors to discovering other worlds.
Creating a colour palette from my sunset photos
Artist inspiration
Embroidery inspiration
“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”
— Chinese Proverb
Finding a theme for my project
So, this is the beginning of my work on this area we live in, the fauna and flora, to be translated into a printed garment. I’ve been working on a sketchbook of ideas to influence my colour palette and iconography. I’m going to be taking a vintage linen undergarment, traditional here, and transformed it using printing inks, embroidery, drawing, and textile transfers.
One of the images I was working around was the ‘Chateau de Saissac’, our local ruined Cathar castle which dominates the hill outside the village, which fell into ruin after the French Revolution apparently. The backdrop is rolling hills and the Pyrenean mountains in the background. We also have a lot of wild animals – some regularly hunted like the deer and wild boars – as well as foxes, which I found particularly interesting to draw. Here’s what I found on the fox as a ‘Spirit Animal:
Fox totem wisdom and the ability to find your way around
The fox as a spirit guide offers us teachings about getting around obstacles instead of confronting them head to head. You might find that you could be smarter about how you deal with areas of resistance in your life or projects.
‘Having the fox as spirit animal, you may be guided to learn from lessons in a way that may feel like you are being challenged or sometimes even being tricked. To make the most of this wisdom, keep a strong sense of humour and be smart of the lessons you learn. Call on the fox guidance when you feel lost and need help finding you way.’
Funny enough the boar has a complimentary symbolism. It symbolises the need to get busy with that project that you have been procrastinating on (like this blog post that I’ve been meaning to do for a year!). In other words, moving forward with your life and not waiting for things to happen.
Alternatively, the Boar meaning is prompting you to meet uncomfortable situations head-on (much like the fox). Get clarity and resolve the situation. Face your fears and find peace with the situation.
On a positive note, the Boar symbolism can announce the beginning of a period of personal growth, prosperity, and wealth. Thus it will be a time of self-confidence, progress, and contentment. Something we can all be hoping for, especially in trying times like these.
“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.”
— Vernon Howard
Creative people – how do you stay motivated during these times when we can’t travel far for inspiration??