Discipline and Warm-Ups

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.

2011 Word for a Year

Yesterday I discussed my yearly resolutions, or goals as I prefer to call them.  Last year I read blog posts by Christine Kane here  and here about using a word as a focus for a resolution.  Both these posts have a great explanation of the process and a list of words to jump start your thinking process.  In true ADD fashion I've procrastinated for a year and am finally ready to do this. Christine's current posts  are guest posts from people who did this and what happened in the past year.

So what do I want to concentrate on or do this year?  I want to get the studio up and running so I can have a place to work.  I want to make a lot of jewelry and some other art. On a personal level, I want to get rid of the clutter in the house.

What word will encompass these goals?   Right now I'm thinking of  these:

• discipline

Just do it, get going, focus. This is the word that I'm favoring.

• release

This word will help me let go of things that are getting in the way, like clutter and procrastination.

• finish

I probably won't choose this one, but I need a word that will include this idea.  I want to finish what I start.  Some ventures are processes, like learning new technique for jewelry.  It's very important to me to do something with what I've learned though, so I need to think about this.

There's a free PDF file on Christine's site that is a short worksheet to help you choose your word.  It's called the "Word for the Year Discovery Tool." Check it out.

What word will you choose? Or if you aren't into "words", what goals and resolutions will you have for 2011?