I like to imagine this as a pattern

Imagine This as a Pattern

"Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings. Not all things are blest, but the seeds of all things are blest. The blessing is in the seed." - Muriel Rukeyser

This quote is apt for my life right now.  I'm trying hard to nurture all sorts of beginnings, and I definitely do not know which seeds will sprout and thrive.  

Since the birth of my twins, I've had limited studio time, and I found that the whole experience was such a game changer (an understatement if ever there was one) that painting took on a new role in my life.  I was back to painting solely for the pleasure of it. I had (and still have) limited time and energy, so for the first year or so I focused on what I could make within my new parameters of exhaustion and 15 minute increments of free time during which I also needed to eat and take a nap. 

One of the things I can take away from this experience is an appreciation for the value of limits in the creative process.  I have had so much freedom in my life and work, which is wonderful, but limitations force a person to be inventive and challenge her habitual approach. I have been able to get a fresh perspective on the work I have already done, and find a bunch of new seeds that I'd like to plant. 

I started this piece early in this period. As the demands of the first year with twins escalated it fell by the wayside with the rest of my life.  Things have gotten much easier with the kids, so over the last few months I've been picking up several unfinished paintings and wrapping them up. This one was 95% done, so it was just a matter of adding a couple layers and calling it good. 

I have a few loosely organized investigations happening in my work, and this one is part of my interest in developing patterns. I love making patterns.  I'm not sure I'm quite up to making this into a repeat yet, but I'm getting the hang of it, and I think it would be a great pattern for fabric, or wrapping paper, or packaging, etc.  One of the challenges with it is balancing the scale, direction and the colors so that it feels 'right'.  Its a complex image, and that seems harder to manage once its in a repeat.  

I'll just let it be for now, and when the time is right I'll try to solve the pattern piece. Thanks for spending some time here.