Musings
My life takes a turn twice a year when I relocate to follow beautiful weather. I have spent the winter and early spring in Florida, and shortly, ( before it gets too hot), I leave for New York where my life takes on a different rhythm.
Here, I work most days in my studio and can concentrate on my work at least for a few hours every day. I get a lot of work done. In NY, I am much busier and do not have a studio at all. I work at my dining room table and have to clean everything up after each session of work.
This year I am trying something new. I am in talks with a local social services agency for an artist in residence position. If this happens I will have studio space to work in in an independent living facility for seniors and should be able to get a lot done. I will also be able to impact the seniors I would be working with, which I would really enjoy.
I bring a ton of "stuff" back and forth. Today that is my job, to decide what it is I want to bring this year. Last year I brought all my silk dyes, and paints, and never used them. I swore I would not bring them back this year. But what if I need them? I will probably bring them again. You never know.
Then there is the fabric and the thread to be considered. What to take, what to leave? I want it all with me but cannot possibly bring it all, so choices have to be made.
This is really a delicious predicament to be in. I get to touch all my fabric and think about what I might want to do with it over the next 6 months. I think, dream, imagine all the projects I might come up with. It takes me hours. I fill up a huge suitcase.
I also have to pack up clothing. That takes me ten minutes. No dreaming, no imagining. Just tossing this, that, and the next thing in the suitcase and on to something else. No worries, no predicament. One little suitcase. You can see where my priorities are.
I love NY for many reasons, not the least of which are my family and friends of long standing, but in Florida my artisitic community really feeds my spirit. These people are somewhat new friends, most of whom I have met in the last 2 years, but, boy of boy, do they speak my language. I am sorry to leave them.
At the same time I look forward to the energy and action up north. I will spend time with my son and his family and with my sisters and theirs. My granddaughter, Gabby, will entertain me no end. She is a bright and active 14 month old piece of sugar.
So, as usual, I have mixed emotions as I leave one life behind and reenter another. I am so glad I don't have to choose one or the other. I would not be able to decide.
Here, I work most days in my studio and can concentrate on my work at least for a few hours every day. I get a lot of work done. In NY, I am much busier and do not have a studio at all. I work at my dining room table and have to clean everything up after each session of work.
This year I am trying something new. I am in talks with a local social services agency for an artist in residence position. If this happens I will have studio space to work in in an independent living facility for seniors and should be able to get a lot done. I will also be able to impact the seniors I would be working with, which I would really enjoy.
I bring a ton of "stuff" back and forth. Today that is my job, to decide what it is I want to bring this year. Last year I brought all my silk dyes, and paints, and never used them. I swore I would not bring them back this year. But what if I need them? I will probably bring them again. You never know.
Then there is the fabric and the thread to be considered. What to take, what to leave? I want it all with me but cannot possibly bring it all, so choices have to be made.
This is really a delicious predicament to be in. I get to touch all my fabric and think about what I might want to do with it over the next 6 months. I think, dream, imagine all the projects I might come up with. It takes me hours. I fill up a huge suitcase.
I also have to pack up clothing. That takes me ten minutes. No dreaming, no imagining. Just tossing this, that, and the next thing in the suitcase and on to something else. No worries, no predicament. One little suitcase. You can see where my priorities are.
I love NY for many reasons, not the least of which are my family and friends of long standing, but in Florida my artisitic community really feeds my spirit. These people are somewhat new friends, most of whom I have met in the last 2 years, but, boy of boy, do they speak my language. I am sorry to leave them.
At the same time I look forward to the energy and action up north. I will spend time with my son and his family and with my sisters and theirs. My granddaughter, Gabby, will entertain me no end. She is a bright and active 14 month old piece of sugar.
So, as usual, I have mixed emotions as I leave one life behind and reenter another. I am so glad I don't have to choose one or the other. I would not be able to decide.
Recently I was going through family pictures that I removed from my mother's apartment as we closed it up after her move to a nursing home. I found a gorgeous photo of my father as a very young man. He was dressed in a tuxedo and was very debonair. It called to me to make into something and so I started to make a book page for a future book but changed my mind and made a small quilt instead. Here is a picture of my quilt.
I feel for you as I do the same thing every 6 months. I will take all the paints, intense and pencils back north but will leave fabrics here. It was fun to discover what I had left here last year and will be an adventure to see what I left up north. It did get a little tense today when DH wanted to take a huge tool box back north....it would have taken up too much space leaving less for my toys, LOL.
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Love the concept of Artist in Residence in a senior living facility. How much time do you owe to the residents there? Sounds like a win / win for you.
Safe Travels.
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