The past two years I’ve been slowly (2 classes at a time) been finishing a bachelors degree at UWT while single mom’ing it with a 1 and 3 year old, and building Left Corner Design, my graphic design small business. A year after meeting my now fiance, I moved in with him in a new city (on an actual island in the woods which is a culture shock considering I spent the past 15 years in the middle of a city). The seven of us (yes seven) watched the COVID-19 change the world around us. The lack of school and childcare interrupted our routines, and we found ourselves spending a lot of time together. Life has been a constant transition, yet in the midst of it all I feel so inspired. The need to be at home caused me to think about finding creative activities for our family and especially my young kids who have developing minds that need to be creatively engaged. I’ve found more time to make, and with that comes a drive for more!
A DRIVE TO MAKE!
The maker bug has hit me hard. I don’t have the luxury to get lost in something and spend days in a creative vortex, but what I can do is do a little bit each day and build on skills. It’s always given me joy to make with people, or inspire others to make. I truly love my work in graphic design working for clients and helping them with their vision and communication objectives, but I also feel drawn to explore more of my own style.
I love digital art, paper, fibers, making art with kids, painting, I want to experience all of it at the same time with no limits of time, cost or sanity! But, In the midst of transition, a pandemic, kids, work, I am trying to give myself space to move into things slowly (which is not a gift of mine). I am learning patience and moving into things with ease instead of taking things on like a tornado. With this desire to make, I am breaking it apart into manageable pieces.
THE PLAN
This year I invested in an iPad (my first one ever) and started learning Procreate. I bought a die-cut machine, and I’ve come up with many projects to entertain kids including kits I’ve sold. So, my plan is to break apart my need to make into manageable chunks throughout 2021 and focus on different subjects each month. I will…
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Start with an art journal and build on inspiration and ideas.
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Explore fiber arts with my new (coming in the form of a Christmas present) tufting gun. I will learn needle punching, more weaving techniques, rug hooking, and play around with mixing these together.
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Dive deeper into digital painting through Procreate and Illustrator and focus on new Photoshop skills.
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Use a book I’ve had sitting on my shelf waiting to be opened to practice letterforms and illustrating with type. I will practice my very minimal skills in calligraphy.
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Play with paper through paper quilling, collage, and paper cutting.
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Screen-print play, block printing, learning to use my vinyl cutter and create stencils and designs through my machine.
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Sculpture- paper-mache, homemade air-dry clays, polymer clay, and working with wire.
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Painting techniques with gouache, watercolor, and acrylic. Here I hope to learn to build on my knowledge of painting with color, and expand my skills in illustration and drawing.
Whew. I know it’s a lot, but I have a year right?!
Hence this blog, I hope to share not for praise or motivation, but to inspire others to make and create for themselves. I hope to share in my journey- the failures, successes, process, products used, and how-tos.
So, here is to 2021, let the making begin!