Now over the years each member of our group has developed her own particular method of working, or her own favourite techniques or subject matter. Sue loves her goldwork, Trudie her felt work, Marion likes experimenting with different dyeing techniques, Sarah loves her hills and trees and moons. For me I cannot start a new piece without first developing it through sketch book studies and producing a fully resolved design in paint. No one subject matter attracts me but for some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on I have never had much success with images of flowers.
It was therefore with surprise and a degree of scepticism that the rest of the group greeted my recent impulse to produce a piece inspired by delphiniums without first doing sketches or a design in paint. As it turned out their scepticism was entirely justified. My first attempt was, if I am honest, a total disaster. Not wishing to be defeated I took it apart, created a new background and started again.
Still no good! Just a detail here – I won’t embarrass myself by showing you the whole thing.So what to do ? Hating the thought of wasting my time and effort and in a spirit of “Waste not want not” I turned my failed picture into a dozen greeting cards.
So now it’s back to the sketch book to prepare a design for the next project. Perhaps not flowers this time?