This afternoon I finished my latest creation, Hsiao Hsien's bag... I am hoping she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed creating, making and photographing it. I don't do many commissioned pieces of my Art because I'm always a tad nervous on whether my vision and the recipient's vision will line up... vision is so subjective and personal... I can't really get inside someone else's head and I don't think anyone would be comfortable in mine, it's rather a wild place inside my head! *Tee Hee* I'm very random in my thought process and ideas flow like running water, constantly... and just as constantly shifting, cascading and changing direction. *LOL* My Art tends to 'create itself' so I don't do mock-ups or drawings of any of my work and honestly I never know what the finished piece will look like until it's complete. I know... I know... that's probably a very unconventional way to go about it, but I've never been very conventional. *smiles* I've often had well meaning Mentors throw up their hands in frustration at the methods I use that go against convention, formal training and logic... quite often I just can't do things like they "should" be done, so I have to find my own way... the one that works for me and is most enjoyable to me.
I have never taken myself or my Art too seriously, I do it to feed my Soul and have fun with the process... I just LOVE the creative process and Art in general, in many ways I feel it was what I was born to do, just like many of my Artistic Ancestors... though some of them were truly creative geniuses like my Dad, that I can only aspire to be like!!! The satisfaction and enjoyment of the end result of a piece is a rush, a part of me is in every piece and I believe Art and Artist are fused in many ways, so its hard for me to detach myself from what I create.. they're kind of like my "little inanimate children". *smiles*
Initially I never had any intentions of selling what I create or even imagine having people want or ask for my pieces. So it was a complete surprise when others appreciated my work or asked about it or wanted it for themselves, it was a long time before I even felt comfortable calling myself an Artist, even though I've created Art in one form or another since early childhood. Especially my Wearable Fabric Art which was a totally new medium for me to work with and I had no formal training so it was trial and error... with a host of trials and a fair amount of error. *wink* I was more amazed that people didn't seem to care that pieces are not perfect and will obviously have imperfections since I'm not a machine, each piece is totally hand stitched and made without technology or machines so tends to fall into the Folk Art category of Artistic imperfection. I've always been drawn to the imperfections and flaws in most things, I feel they add character and a certain charm and uniqueness, but I realize not everyone feels that way... especially if they invest hard earned money in something. I'm evolving and so is my Art so I'm okay with my work's flaws... but I must say, rather surprised when they can be overlooked or embraced by others too. I'm still experimenting, seeing what works, what doesn't work, shapes, sizes, materials... it's a lot of fun... and as long as others are happy having a fun piece that was a labor of Love but has slight imperfections, it's all good... after all, a well fed Artistic Soul and a piece loved by it's new owner is about as good as it gets... Dawn... The Bohemian