Structures #73 – In Progress
Textile Painting
©2009 Lisa Call
Detail
Holiday Weekend
This 3 day weekend I work in my studio 16 hours. It was the first weekend it felt like home again. I’ve loved having the space but hadn’t really felt it was broken in yet. Now it does.
I’m most thankful it rained all weekend, so I relieved myself of all responsibility for pulling the nearly 2 foot tall weeds in the landscape free yard. The day will come when I’ll have to deal with that issue, but with the rain I was free to just make art.
I’m nearly finished putting the surface stitching (quilting) on Structures #73 and started some new ACEOs. The first ones of the year.
I also made big progress on Structures #100. I decided to make it the first new larger piece I designed in my new studio and it went together well. The composition is done so now I need to get it basted so I can start quilting it also.
Planning
It feels great to be motivated to make art again. Seems like it’s been a long time.
After my post a few days about about adding some more structure to my studio time, I decided to set some specific goals for the year to keep me motivated.
For 2009 my studio goals:
- 550 or more hours of studio time (~10 hrs a week)
- 256 or more days making art (70% of the days in the year)
As of today I’ve put in 126 hours in the studio and made art 68 days this year. To make my goals I’m going to have to make art pretty much every day for the rest of the year and put in at least 15 hours a week.
I’m be in South Africa for nearly a month later this summer, so I’ve factored in that time away from the studio also.
As a point of reference, in 2007 I put in 870 hours in my studio. The year I had a very clearly defined goal of 20 hours a week in my studio.
In 2008 it was 446 hours in the studio. A year with the laid back “let’s not set specific goals” plan. I also sold my house, moved into a house with no studio and started a major construction project – so to be fair I was a bit busier also.
Next up is going to be doing some planning and setting specific goals for the business side of art. I’ve been very reluctant to do that in the past and I think it’s time to get more serious about tracking the hours I spend on the business and keeping a better schedule.
I have big ideas of things I’d like to accomplish – specific goals will help me get there.
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{ 6 comments }
Hi! Lisa,
You are very good at using your time to make Art, excellent at setting goals I am sure you will have no trouble reaching where you set your sights to. Like the look of Structures 73!
Sounds like a great plan and I’m joining you there on the 2 foot weeds – my garden looks horrible, but what can you do with all this rain! :P
Good for you Lisa – I’m glad you’re back in the studio and back to setting lofty goals!
I love this piece – the colors are just beautiful. Can’t wait to see it finished.
Hi Lisa,
This post and the one on “how to get stuff done” has been so helpful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and process.
Liz
Lisa,
I agree with Elizabeth Floyd.
These two posts have been so right-on about ‘being an artist”.
I’ve set goals for time spent making myself this past spring and my productivity has gone way up.
I do a lot of hand stiching and I find that if I put in 3 hours right off the top of the morning it’s a great start to the day and presto – there’s a real difference shown in the work.
I’ve always tracked my time in the studio too – ever since I’ve had one that’s out of my home. I have to drive to it. When I get there, I look at the clock and write down the time – then do the same when I leave. Add up the hours. It’s a good month when I get over 60 hours –
Thanks for taking the time to write about being an artist. I find this blog very supportive and knowledgable.
Thanks everyone.
Judy – thanks for sharing the details of how you get stuff done – I love that you start your day with 3 hours of quilting. I love reading how other artists do things.
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