Notice the lack of posting? I’m working out problems with the pattern for Figure Two, and I am getting as frustrated as I was when I hit the prototyping stage of Figure One. Yesterday was a total fail, but today I made progress, and I might even pull an all-nighter tonight, because I am close to the breakthrough point where it all just falls into place. I’ll be glad when I get to that point. Once the pattern in as I want it, making the thing from the actual materials will go more quickly on this one, owing to the fact I made all the hundreds of mistakes I had to make during the first one (and learned a lot).
It’s three weeks to deadline, and I am not feeling especially stressed. I hope and plan to have Figure Two as far along as Figure One by this coming Monday. That gives me a week to combine the two figures and make the base and another week to do the detailing on that piece and pull the other four pieces I intend to submit together. All that will be left then is to photograph them all and submit my paperwork! I’m sure I’ll feel some stress the close the deadline gets, but that’ll mostly be because deadlines just freak me out … even when I am on schedule and doing fine. My mind, it does not like deadlines!
Actually, the further along I get, the better my mental state about the whole thing. I am even more firmly OK with the possibility that this grand work I have poured months into not getting into the show … or any of my works not getting into the show. Not saying that wouldn’t just make me happier than I have ever been and thrilled silly, but the most important thing to have come of all this work is that I have grown as an artist (and maybe even as a human being). I’ve always said I am an artist, starting from a really young age, but there was always a tiny little nagging voice in the back of my head telling me I wasn’t REALLY an artist … I was just a hack. That voice has been eradicated. I don’t just believe I am an artist now, I know I AM AN ARTIST! It feels wonderful to know something about yourself is a truth, and to be confident enough to not shrink from saying it.
So … I am starting to get really tired again and just want this pattern drafting stage to be over, but that’s to be expected. I’m pushing my brain pretty hard, and because that damn pattern is rumbling around in my head 24/7, I’m not sleeping so well. This too shall pass. I just have to jump the hurdle, and then it gets easy again. Before I know it, this project will be done, and I can enjoy a little “normal” life for a while before jumping into the next big project (and there is a next big project already planned). And what’s really awesome is that just after I get done with this whole thing and get my paperwork in, it looks like we’ll be taking a vacation to Chicago! What perfect timing! I am so going to need a vacation, and it’ll be totally grand to see our northern family … and to go to the art museum. Really looking forward to the art museum. LOL!
Think I better go turn the studio back into a kitchen and plan dinner. I can’t decide between making bratwurst sandwiches on rye or cooking up a bunch of chicken. Tough choice! They both sound tasty. LOL!