Altered Books Dreams Boards and Shooting for Perfection

“An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.” 

― J.D. Salinger

It is easy for me to get bogged down in doubt. Especially....no...not "especially"...but, BECAUSE of worrying about what others may think of it...or BECAUSE of comparing my work to 'others'.....and this is just a waste of time and energy...

Freedom comes by letting go....

Letting go...is freedom....

One thing that helps me to let go is do a few daily rituals... right now my ritual is to do a combination of mind mapping and dream boarding into altered books...

Here are my personal guidelines for altered book dream boards like above:

1. You can ONLY use ONE magazine, a bottle glue or gluestick, and scissors

2. cut out what really catches your eye, or you feel the most connection to. If your drawn to it, there is a reason. Use it. Don't question it, just cut it out and move on the next thing.

3. You HAVE to use ALL of the items you just accumulated, even if it means some things get covered up. That is just part of the process. Again, DON"T QUESTION IT. Just go with the flow.

4. You can ONLY glue everything on two facing pages...none of this "spreading everything out on several pages" business.

5. Once it is all glued down...let it dry...and walk away from it for a while..Clarity comes with distance.

6. Later, when you look at the work, simply read it...and the way it flows will be a message to you. This is your subconcious, your gut, your instincts, your higher self, speaking to you through your work.

what i learned at All-Con 2011

• there are people who are really serious about their costumes, for the sake of costuming...
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• people seem more willing to buy prints or posters of work, than actual original work even if the original is the same price or cheaper.
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• i like the steam punk apparel- especially bloomers and bustles
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• i can knit better than i thought i could
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• i would like to give a presentation or hands-on creativity workshop at a conference
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• I would like to see how things are done, like juggling, hoola hooping, etc...but i DO NOT WANT TO BE THROWN INTO PARTICIPATING....
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I have to say, that All-Con Dallas was my first con to ever go to like this...i have been to art teacher conferences, and other teacher workshops...but this was my first con to go to simply for the joy of it and not out of state CPE credit obligations....

I did manage to display my artwork! I took 16 original pieces...mostly mermaids, fairies, and then some of my lotuses....

I did not sell a single thing...that's a bit disappointing....

But, i went into this resigned to it being a learning experience.

There were some great perks to this. 1.It was fairly inexpensive to display my work. 2. I didn't have to man a booth or a table all day...(which if you have ever done that...you know how tiring it can be...) 3. I got to enjoy several panels/workshops...

Here is what i enjoyed :

beaded headdresses: this panel was three gals who showed us how they painstakingly make their own hats and headdresses. And by painstaking, i mean, they count beads, keep records of what beads they need to acquire, and then once they finally accomplish their goal, the piece might actually be very uncomfortable to wear for more than a hour at a time....their dedication and interest in making these pieces was most impressive.  I mean, i lLURVE making things....i however, have not reached the level of dedication it takes to make the beautiful headdresses they are making, simply for the  joy of it....

Tarot card reading: this panel was made up of three local ladies who are all very accomplished in their own right...i have to admit i think i enjoyed this panel the most because of the ladie's interactions with each other...it was almost as if they were having their own conversation and finishing each other sentences  and laughing so much it made me laugh as well...I also thought it was interesting how they each seemed so different visually , in that, one lady seemed more dressed in a New Orleans Goth style, the next seemed more Earth Mother, California Girl, and the third was more Gypsy/ Ren-faire....i felt like i was getting all of the stereotypical representations in one place, whether it was planned that way or not i have no idea...but it was an interesting dynamic...What did learn about tarot cards....i learned that if i'm interested n learning the meaning of particular cards, then they recommend taking one card a day and studying only that particular card....

 Beginners Knitting Circle: ...i went with my dear friend Melia,  of Bemused Art simply for the company. I had forgotten my knitting needles...so i figured i would just sit and hang out...but they gave me needles to borrow, some yarn and a pattern for the "Jane Hat from Firefly"....somehow when my husband and son watched the series, i missed this particular episode, so i had no idea what i was making...but, surprisingly, i was able to read the pattern, and actually did complete the project...i should say here, that it was not a full-size Jane Hat...it is a small broach size hat...and i am very proud of myself for completing it...i now want to make actual life-size Jane Hats for my family...though, my son said he probably won't wear it...lol...

I did attempt to attend two workshops that had to do with carnivale attractions...one had to to with juggling and the other was hoola hooping...i just wanted to see how they did it...but when i walked into the room, they immediately tried to get me to participate with them...and that is not my personality...so, i immediately said " buh-bye" and left....i have to learn by seeing, FIRST....(take note...if you want me to participate...DON"T THROW ME INTO THE DEEP END ...SHOW ME FIRST...and LET ME GET COMFORTABLE....or i will leave every single time...just sayin'....)

What else did i learn from attending All-Con?
I learned about "Costume FUnk", I learned about Assassination City Roller Derby (which i have been a fan of for almost a year now), I learned that Fen-Con is coming up in the fall, and i learned that this was a great experience for the whole family...we all really enjoyed it...together...which was my hope the whole time...there was something interesting for all of us...it was a win/win....

got to show my artwork,and got to enjoy something with my family...

Gauges

So, ya know...I løok at other blogs ...other artists ...and I keep trying to gauge my own work and abilities against theirs....

This can be good and bad....

On some level...it pushes me forward, to work harder..to try and prove to myself that I actually can do what I have always wantrd to do...what I was born to do....

On another level, it makes me feel like crap...

Then I see just how little I have done with my artwork...and I struggle to not feel like a loser...

Then, there are those that,at least in the virtual world, are very successful...they have created a buzz for themselves...they are very comfortable talking a out their work and sharing with the worl all of their greatness...and I think,crap....I gotta get better about that...