Part of my Process

At the beginning of the year I joined Carla Sonheim's wonderful "2013 - Year of the Giraffe" course - an amazing opportunity to immerse ourselves all year long on one subject, exploring it in as many different ways and with as many different mediums as we could. I was beside myself with excitement. I couldn't wait to get started...

 Blind Contour

 

Gesture Drawings

Then, true to form, I deliberated. A lot. Okay, an awful lot. This time it was months... For the right sketchbook. I freely admit that this is a particular neurosis of mine, and finally, after a very long time and due to the kindness of a my dear friend, Janie, have come to accept that it is in fact, in her words: "part of my process." 

 

 One Liners

 

 Contour

During the previous three months, a few odd (please note this is a figure of speech... and not a critique of my sketching skills... I hope) sketches did find their way into some of my pre-existing (and equally deliberated at the time) sketchbooks and journals, but honesty dictates that I cannot really count them as they were not, as such, in THE Giraffe Sketchbook. But thought I would include them, you know, as "part of my process."

 Random One Liner a.k.a. "So that's where the Xmas lights went..."

  So how long are their necks, anyway?

  When in doubt... add another one!

I do this... I take forever to get started on something, and I quite often abandon projects without giving them a further thought, mid-stitch or stroke. Ignoring them blithely for weeks, months, even years on end. Then one day... they resurface and give birth to a myriad of inspired pieces without further ado. It's "part of my process..."

 

"Just checkin' in..."

Anyhow, today I sat outside on the deck in the sunshine and started my Year of the Giraffe... I will, as I have with everything in my life, go at my own pace, doing things in my own way. And I will learn, and enjoy and be inspired again... and again... you see, it's part of my process!

What's your part of the process?