Have you ever created something and then thought “Who made that? It doesn’t look like me!” But then what is me? And how does ME come forward without experimenting with different ideas? Last night I pondered this “me” moment after working on the above page. Creating something for another person always puts a self-imposed level of expectation on the work. There is that nagging feeling that it’s not good enough, but I have to push past that and accept where it is. The image is a watercolor and pen rendition of a native wildflower, Scouler’s Corydalis. It’s not scientifically accurate but a more generalized interpretation of the foliage and a couple of flowers. I added a blue wash behind the leaves that helped ground the image more. Plus I liked it! I only use pen and watercolor on rare occasions, typically in travel sketchbooks, but I’m starting to use it for more general things. Everything still feels like a giant experiment, and that’s probably ok for now.
Last night my husband was trying to explain the artist book collaboration to his mother via phone. She brought up some interesting questions that I can answer here: The work produced is simply for each other and isn’t going to be sold. The books are individual artworks. There isn’t any way to reproduce each individual book since they are unique. It’s just for fun. No monetary gain what so ever! While he was talking to her, I handed him the book open to the page. He spent time looking through it after the phone conversation and he wondered who had created what. That made me chuckle because he couldn’t even recognize the above page as being my creation. Guess it’s nice to keep him surprised! If it were a dog sketch or something in charcoal, he could have figured it out.
I’ll be spending the next couple of days (weeks) trying to avoid the heatwave that’s setting in. Possibly 100 F (38 C) tomorrow and Saturday. Urgh, Saturday will be the big garden art sale! Heat! Dehydration! Melting Camas sculptures! It will be what it will be! Hopefully some brave souls will come visit.
Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog 
Your spread is beautiful Gale. I have gone out of my comfort zone on our collaboration too, both subject matter and medium. I kind of like that I had to work through it, but like Anna mentioned, there are things I would love to redo but with our books, once its down on paper its permanent.
Thanks for sharing your husband’s conversation. I think its so cool that we did these books for the experience, creativity and sharing.
If we don’t push out of our comfort zones, then how do we learn new things? This has been an excellent project for that purpose, plus meeting some pretty awesome artists! 😀
Such an interesting post Gale. I to have been playing around with lots of different techniques lately and wonder if I will have a defining style which is me? The books have also pushed this as how I have drawn in each book is different as I try to blend in with the different drawings. I just love trying out different styles and I think it all helps to make us better artists. Your drawing is just lovely and I particularly like the layout. It so exciting to see what others draw in response to my theme, I couldn’t be more pleased. Karen
Karen, it’s been fascinating watching the journey you’re taking with your art. I completely agree that pushing ourselves makes us better artists. More drawings to come this week and finally sending it off to Cathe by Friday! Fingers crossed that nothing else pops up and ruins my plans! 😀
The whole thing of ‘style’ is such an interesting question. For myself, I sometimes feel that I end up with many styles and lack a personal identity, because I work in so many different media, but when I mentioned this to a friend she said ‘Oh no, I can identify you in all the different things’, which I found very comforting, and I think it is probably the same for all of us. I would feel very constricted if I restricted myself to one medium, and I think I would get bored and boring. The different styles, techniques and media all feed one another. I think what you are doing in Karen’s book is really beautiful Gale, and I can see how it relates to some of your plant inspired cut-outs and prints in particular. One of the (many!) things I love about these collaborations is the curiosity they arouse in other people, as shown by your mother-in-law’s questions. I wonder if we are inspiring other people out there to take up the idea!
I too, like your friend, can see how all your work pulls together into a cohesive mix of Anna! Yes, staying in one medium would cripple my energy. Sometimes I feel like I’m ADD with art since I keep jumping between everything. Now if I could just get myself to really focus on the task at hand today!
I too hope this project is inspiring someone out there in the art blogging world….
🙂