Off to the Sunny South

We fly out this morning for eight days in Florida. My studios are like Sleeping Beauty's castle -- I've stopped midstream in whatever I was doing so that when I return I can pick right back up again exactly where I left off. There's a length of printed cloth stretched and pinned on my print table and a Post-it list of what I want to do to it next. The current Pages piece is still laying under the feed dogs of my sewing machine waiting for me to finish stitching down the letter forms with invisible thread (so they appear to float on the surface of the pages). The printed cloth for a new Parables piece is hanging on my design wall, ready to add the next layer of letter forms. All will be still and waiting expectantly for my return. In my mind, this is truly a joyful combination, heading off on an adventure to a new place and then returning to dive back into the work that I love.

First we'll visit Bob's sister and brother-in-law in St. Augustine -- they drove down and are spending a month there - then Friday we'll drive up and settle in on Amelia Island, where we'll kayak and hike and take long walks along the beach (I love the ocean). I found out that Cumberland Island is an easy boat ride away and have wanted to visit it for years (it's a national preserve, completely uninhabited except for herds of wild horses), so I'm really looking forward to some relaxation and fun after all my hard work over the past few months.

But of course I am also packing my lap top, sketch book and journal and will take advantage of plane time to start some writing projects. There are some seeds of ideas that I want to develop and being trapped in an uncomfortable seat is a great catalyst for getting absorbed in anything that will take my mind off that. No way to wander off and get distracted!

I want to try and gather the ideas behind my current work into some cohesive written form that can eventually evolve into a strong artist statement. I've been developing this body of work with a lot of faith and trust in where the creative process and my ideas will lead me, but now that I'll be away from engaging directly in it I'll have a good opportunity to begin to synthesize the ideas. I expect that a new environment will give me fresh perspectives, not to mention a much needed dose of sunshine and Omega-3 oils from eating all that delicious fresh seafood.

Since I'm taking my lap top and digital camera, if I encounter artistic inspirations that cry out to be shared, I'll upload them so you can enjoy them, too.