my creative 2013 …..

I have had pause to reflect on my creativity, or lack of creativity in many ways, from last year.  Like Fiona I am making a habit of looking back over the years - albeit that I have not quite reached my second year of blogging so the habit is quite infantile!  It will grow, baby steps and all.

It wasn't a good year for me in many ways even though I was lucky enough to have a couple of amazing trips away - one overseas to Morocco, Spain and France, and the second through some of outback Australia, crossing the Simpson Desert in 4WD's and camping.  I think the highlights for me would have to be about the creativity of the year - limited though it was.

Last week I posted on the envelope project I had been part of for twelve months and all the first  photographs are various bits I made towards this endeavour - many of which inspired further work, or were inspired by things I was already working on in the studio.

The photographs of our 'mail' project are in no particular order.  All images are of my work - I will post again next month on the second half of the year, showing the group images.

I actually managed to finish this collaborative piece.  Fiona posted hers some time ago, mine was only completed recently.  It is the longer of the two pieces.

Starry Starry Night - a collaboration of Fiona's and mine with some of the pages below.  I really love the way this book turned out and it is actually best read by lamplight.

Another collaboration piece which we both were surprised by - it works really well as an unbound book as the images can be arranged in numerous ways making it read differently every time.

This wedding book and double perspex cover took days to make but it was well worth it in the end.

Ode to Fallen Angels - is definitely one of my favourite creations this year.  I made two books out of engravings I had made years ago when a very special friend of mine died.  The techniques I explored in these books actually led , and will continue to lead, into a whole body of work using similar techniques.

These small prints from my In Between Dreams Series - led into more an more exploration of layers  and further visual ideas which in turn led onto much larger work which I think will become part of my permanent style of working.

 

These larger pieces will soon be for sale over the internet, and an assortment of 'Vessels' as well - you will see from my posting a couple of weeks ago I am experimenting with blues and lighter tones of greys and beige.

One thing that really strikes me as I look back at the favourites of my work this last year, is the monotony of my palette.  And though I really, really enjoy working with these colours, I am determined to bring variety into my work during 2014.  I also plan to work far more diligently and to take on only those projects which really let me explore my work more fully and profoundly.  This certainly doesn't mean I will not have fun in the Studio - it just means I plan take my work more seriously and push it a little further this year, and a little further the next.

Next week Fiona and I will both be posting on the meeting of our latest collaborative books, always a highlight of my creative work, and it seems both of us have spent an enormous amount of time on these books.  Can't let you have a sneak peak as we really enjoy the complete surprise we have ourselves when the books meet.