Not a precise idea…

I have this app on my phone, it was a recommendation on a blog I read somewhere – I forget where, exactly. Every day at 10 am it chimes with a thought meant to inspire or encourage me. Sometimes I find myself rolling my eyes at the quote that pops up, but almost just as often there’s an idea that dovetails perfectly with what I’m currently working on. This quote is one of those:

“Having precise ideas often leads to a person doing nothing.” – Paul Valery

How true. It’s so easy to get hung up in the perfection of what you can visualize in your head. Reality is a lot messier.

The last few days I’ve been working on a new soft-sculpture installation piece. It started with a moleskin doodle, and the more it takes shape, the less it looks like the original idea in my head. It never stops surprising me how much something can develop and change during the art-making process. I have to stop and remind myself: it’s becoming real, and – perfect or not – that’s the important thing.

Here’s my sketch for “There’s More Than One Way To Cope (With All This)” and some shots of my progress.

I’ll be installing this piece at DeLurk Gallery in Winston-Salem and it will be on display for the month of April, so stop by and see the finished product any time this month! (I’m sure I’ll be posting more photos, too, so don’t worry if you can’t make it to the gallery)

• Art
• fiber work
• in progress
• inspiration
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