Back in the studio, many processes in play

I'm finishing up the last of the Planet Suite, and here's the patient in the OR being set up in place.  The artwork on the front is being secured to the backing, and the backing is being secured to the frame itself.  This involves having several hands at once, since the gluing is more or less simultaneous, and it's on two different levels. Also the artwork fixing needs to be done with some delicacy, while the backing part needs to be done with a bit more force.

So you see here my handy helpers, and if the patient survives, you'll see the framing complete. The paint container in the middle is standing on a piece of plexi, to gently equalize the pressure without squashing the art flat.

Last of the Planet Suite in process

 Tomorrow will tell whether this all worked.

I had an adventure with Gorilla Glue in the course of this session, namely that the container flew up in the air and the glue sort of poured back on my hand, rendering it quite tricky to finish up what I was doing, a bit like a slapstick scene in Jeeves and Wooster.  The one where Wooster tries to spread treacle on brown paper..

Then I needed to figure out how to separate my glued fingers again, and found that soap won't do it, dishwashing liquid won't do it, rubbing alcohol won't do it, but that olive oil followed by dw liquid, will.  Must note that for the next time I juggle the stuff accidentally. It's also tricky to turn taps on and off while you're sticking to them.  And since I'm a bit allergic to some glues, my nose tends to run just at the moment when both hands are occupied.

The other piece is in a more peaceful process, and looks like rather a wild beast at this point, but interesting.  Backing is hand dyed silk, fronting is knitted and crocheted freeform, with embroidered freeform motif on top, beaded and stitched on linen, which I dyed after working it, and a piece of that copper wire pulled into an interesting shape, on top, too.  

Some wild beast taking over the studio here..

These are not yet fixed, still sort of revolving round my mind.  The loops are the top are for sliding a dowel through for hanging the piece, and the silk will be stretched over a piece of foamcore to make it rigid, as a support for the front part.

This may all change before it's done, but I thought you'd like to see what was becoming of that knitted stuff I showed you ages ago, draped over the lamp. The silk background may be pulled back so that it doesn't show at the sides, after I think about it a bit more.

I was reading Sherry Turkel's latest book on how conversation is dying away because of endless texting and communicating by other means than talking.  She makes a good point where she discusses how boredom is a good thing, since it forces you back onto your own resources, and that moment of irritation, if you don't try to escape it by texting and tweeting (and blogging!)  often turns out to be the time of greatest hatching of ideas and plans.  The texting etc., is about performance space, and the solitude is about unedited thoughts.

Important to allow space and time for freeform thoughts to get working.  She's really talking about allowing freeform conversation, not art, rather than edited texts and pix for communication, but the analogy works for art, too.

I've noticed that over and over, after a tedious day, usually weather related, I get a burst of art energy the next day, and find I'm just zinging with new art ideas to try.  I never remember this when I'm feeling at a loose end, though. 

And being alone is essential to making art, or anything, really.  Groups are fine, but the best work is usually solitary, and without a lot of external doings. Then comes the pleasure of showing you, dear blogistas, what's up, because as you know, art is not complete until it's been seen by someone other than the maker of it.  This is why you are essential.  I never forget that.