I've been mulling over various focus Words for the Year and have chosen discipline as my word for 2011. I have several goals but the main ones are getting the studio area ready to work in, and applying new techniques that I'm learning to a body of work.
I do have a tendency to over plan and over engineer when I really need to just do it.
The Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Somerset Studio magazine has a regular column entitled The Business of Art by Quinn McDonald. This month's subject is "The Undervalued Art Tool: Discipline." McDonald has several good suggestions, especially when it comes to managing the time spent on email and other media.
One of his suggestions is to start the day with a ritual. This is a good idea. My usual ritual is to feed the cats as soon as I get up, because I have one cat who pesters me to death if he doesn't get his food promptly. I've decided on a studio time ritual.
I loved this tiny little bird cage the minute I saw it and bought it for my studio with no clue what I would do with it.
I wrote down some small projects which should all take under 30 minutes to do, even when I'm at my most disorganized. Each day I'm going to draw one and do it. The projects include making ear wires, coils, jump rings, "S" hooks, and other things. Some--balled headpins--I prefer to do outdoors. I'll put that one back in the cage and draw another if the weather is too bad. Do you see how the strips are curled? I thought it would be fun if they resembled fortune cookie fortunes.
And here I go: "silk or fiber neckcord."
And yes, Neko, I will feed you first.
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