I’m working on a new series for my solo show in March at Foster/White Gallery. The work is inspired by Madrone trees and is actually going well. It’s just that I’m both developing patterns and writing an artist statement (due tomorrow). Hence the aforementioned thrashing.

After a couple of days of writing I think I’m getting close to my statement. It seems that I have to spiral in to it. I start with some research and then begin writing.

My first draft reads like a middle school science report. So I write some more and then I edit,

and edit,

and edit,

and then edit some more until I finally get to the kernel of what I’m trying to say. My hubbie, who is an excellent writer, copy edits it for verb tenses, etc and then it’s done!

Having done this many times before there just don’t seem to be any short cut in this process for me.

Above is a pretty picture of the Smoke Bush leaves from my garden and below are some sketches of the new work. They are a little hard to see in these photos but they are full size drawings of designs for three-dimensional works that will be on panels.

I’m going back to thrashing about.