Tag Archives: Cal Newport

Back and Forth

The more I juggle between stitched pieces and drawings, the more I appreciate the power of their influence upon each other.

I thought it might be interesting to see 5 stages of both a drawing and a stitched piece, side-by-side as they progress. The drawing begins with a very hard lead so I’m afraid it’s a challenge to see here, a fact amplified by its reduced size. You can see its details much more clearly in this post.

It’s definitely an ongoing challenge to give each its due in a given week, and I’m sure that fact delays my progress in each. But the strong similarity between the way an image is built in one discipline really helps me work through the hurdles I encounter within the other.

The drawing is 24 x 18 inches, whereas this stitched piece is about 10 inches square

The upside is it’s a two-way street: having two objectives may slow me down, but working both mediums in tandem ultimately seems to push me further than if I were pursuing only one.

I like working in layers because it lets me build up an image gradually.

I’ve written before about artists I admire who work across disciplines, but only by doing so myself have I been able to truly see the returns materialize.

There is definitely a lot to be said for the oomph of color that comes easily with dyes and thread. Yet I am also attracted to the subtlety of line which I feel conveys just as much, albeit with a quieter voice.

Advantages weave back and forth between the two, each lending a fresh perspective on the qualities that interest me: texture, color, value, pattern…and not to be forgotten, all-important composition – whether encased in an imaginary frame defined by the edges of the paper or within a framework of shibori pattern that is as much a part of the overall piece as the subject.

And then you reach a point where it feels like everything that can be, has been said.

❖

Summer Reading:
I love the premise behind this list of 20 books featuring seasoned female protagonists from Modern Mrs. Darcy. I’ve read and enjoyed a handful of them, so I know her recommendations are reliable.

My mother was a great reader and an inveterate article-clipper, as perhaps yours is, or may have been, as well. She never missed an opportunity to share something she found interesting or that she thought I should read. And it seems I have inherited that gene, as my kids will attest. But the happy flip side of that is they also share articles and book titles with me!
If you’re looking to liberate yourself by taking control of your devices, rather than letting them control you, check out Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism, courtesy of my son. It’s a speedy read, but very wise and equally as worthwhile.

Hygge…Vermont-style

Hygge may seem to be suddenly all the rage, but when you live where it’s the norm for winter nights to be long, cold, and dark, it’s hardly a new concept. Hygge Vermont-style is as old as the surrounding hills and just as inviting as any Danish lifestyle book. We may not be indulging in pumpkin-spice lattes and pine-scented candles but, for some of us, snuggling up by a crackling fire with a full evening ahead to get lost in a book is one of life’s true pleasures…and the essence of coziness.

This week I have been experimenting with various origami folds before stitching.

Since things have settled down after the holidays, I’ve been enjoying a line-up of wonderful books. Some, but not all, are art-related. Now seems as good a time as any to share their titles as we still have a window of long evenings to enjoy before the spring solstice arrives.

Sisters In Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World by Linda Hirshman
This book couldn’t be more timely — on numerous fronts. It pulls back the velvet curtain in ways both uplifting and unsettling.

Waterbomb base

Studio Craft as Career: A Guide to Achieving Excellence in Art-Making by Paul J. Stankard
A studio artist working in glass, Paul Stankard shares the evolution of his career from scientific glassblower to internationally renowned ‘father of modern glass paperweights’. In addition to discussing at length his philosophy for pursuing excellence while offering his insight and counsel, Stankard also highlights over 45 artists whose work he reveres, including their individual advice for success. An inspiration on many levels.

Book & Cupboard – front

Selected Writings of Bruce Metcalf
A series of essays recommended by Paul Stankard in the above book. I haven’t made my way through all of them, but the first set consider the divide between art and craft more articulately and deeply than any other treatise I’ve read on the subject yet. Despite being written in the 80’s and 90’s, they are very enlightening and still hold water.

Book & Cupboard – back

A History of Pictures: From the Cave to the Computer Screen by David Hockney & Martin Gayford (thank you Lauren!)
This thick and richly illustrated book lends itself well to long or short sessions. Hockney is one of my artistic heroes. He is so smart and astute; I always learn from and enjoy what he has to say.

Thirds

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
As mentioned several times before in this blog, I have been reading Newport’s blog Study Hacks for well over a year and wholeheartedly buy into his theories surrounding “deep work” as a means of accomplishing more richly developed objectives in less time. I found myself taking notes throughout, but the section on formulating goals was particularly helpful.

…And for good, old-fashioned storytelling, try these fiction titles:
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

It’s your turn. What titles are keeping you warm this winter?

Opening up worlds
And discovering new paths
Nothing like a book
– Daniella Ignacio

Tilling Ideas

I was chatting with a couple of artist buddies earlier this week and one of the things that came up was the havoc that summer can wreak on devoted studio time. Considering our drawn-out Vermont winters, paired with an elongated mud season, there isn’t any question that being outside during this very limited time of sun and warmth becomes a priority. In addition to a host of other outdoor activities, most folks I know have a garden to tend. So it’s no surprise that, despite the days being longer, July and August pose an even greater challenge than usual for squeezing in everything one wants to accomplish.

Garden Study 1 © 2016 Elizabeth Fram There is one section of my garden that has been blowing me away this year. The plants are so lush and, at certain times of day, the light catches their diversity of color so beautifully. These little studies don’t begin to do the sight justice, but it’s a true pleasure to be outside with my paintbox, learning as I practice, immersed in the color and shapes.

This certainly isn’t a new or unique problem and doesn’t only occur at this time of year. When my kids were little, it became something of a quest to try to figure out how to carve more time into my schedule so I could be in the studio most days — or let’s face it, to try to carve out any time to be in the studio most days. The theories and advice surrounding ‘productivity’ which have become so prevalent in articles and on blogs now, just weren’t as easily accessible then. I did my best to make it up as I went along.

I was so excited to find the book A Question of Balance: Artists and Writers on Motherhood by Judith Pierce Rosenberg, which at least let me know I wasn’t alone in trying to devise a way to squeeze creative time in with the myriad of daily chores I had to cover. But truthfully, I found the book pretty discouraging because it seemed that those who were most successful, were so because they had hired a full-time nanny, or had a spouse who covered all bases on the home front, neither of which was a consideration for me. The most valuable wisdom lay between the lines in what a minority of those interviewed wrote: it all comes down to compromise, commitment, and some good old-fashioned ingenuity. There is no magic bullet.

One of my friends from the aforementioned conversation said that although she is spending long hours moving earth and pulling weeds these days, she is still thinking about her art and working through ideas while she’s in the garden. She may not be in her studio, but she is creatively active nevertheless. Her point reminded me of Adam Grant’s TEDtalk “The Surprising habits of Original Thinkers” which touches upon the fact that moderate procrastination can foster greater innovation and better creative solutions. To be fair, having an overflowing schedule that keeps you away from the studio isn’t quite the same as procrastination, but Grant’s theory offers a positive way to frame the frustration you may be feeling when you aren’t able to put in as much active studio time as you wish, highlighting that having time to consider and develop ideas can provide a more successful outcome. And it’s quite likely that the interruption from her usual schedule will provide a fresh perspective that will make for positive progress once she can get back to the studio more regularly.

For what it’s worth, another solution which has been very successful for me is one that I learned from Cal Newport of Study Hacks Blog. (I’ve mentioned him before; he is the guy who champions the idea of “deep work” in order to make concrete strides with what he calls “knowledge” work.) Newport asserts that scheduling is key. Don’t just add an item (i.e. studio time) to your to-do list, schedule it. It’s a rare day that everything on one’s list gets checked off, but with a designated time-slot on your calendar, priorities will get done.

Please leave a comment with your solutions for tackling this common dilemma. Thanks!