It’s been over a month since I last posted here, but it’s not been because I have been twiddling my thumbs. No, indeed, I have been working away and putting in long hours on my Burning Man project. I’ve been drawing and waxing and having meetings. I’ve been emailing and plotting and planning and buying a cute little trailer.

I’ve also had openings for two shows, shipped artwork off to Michigan, written a proposal, and watched my daughter graduate from high school. Currently I’m squeezing in more work time while packing for our annual trip to the Oregon Country Fair. Life is full!

patterns everywhere

Life in the studio is full, too. I hit a bad spot a few weeks ago when I realized that, as designed, I didn’t have enough time to finish before I needed to leave for the event. I talked it over with my good friend, John Boylan, who gave me some excellent advice. He told me to think about how I could fulfill the original scope of the project and streamline the process without compromising the intent. When he said that I immediately knew that I needed to reduce the number of designs and make some duplicates. I’ve also reduced the size of the last set of banners from 10 feet to 9 feet. It’s a small time savings, but much easier to manipulate within the confines of the studio, especially given that I’m only a little over 5 feet tall myself.

some of the motifs in the banner patterns

In the end, I’m only repeating four designs but that translates to at least four days of work. Plus, I’ve been getting some great help. Ann Darling, fiber goddess and designer of custom wearables, is doing the sewing for the first set of 12 banners. In the studio, my good friend and studio-mate, Pam, helped out with the waxing last week and my former intern, Vivian, has been helping me with some of the drawing. It’s so good to have the help and the company keeps me going.

I only have five more banners to draw, then waxing the last nine and it’s forward to dyeing! I’m feeling much more encouraged, much more confident in my ability to get ‘er done. Every day I just keep rolling the ball down the street, every day I get a little bit closer to the finish line in Black Rock City.

Hubby and I with our new to us 1976 Trillium trailer