I'm tidying up my studio. There's just so much stuff that has somehow accumulated over the years. Some of the stuff I haven't used in ages, as my style and preferences have changed over the years. I've been hanging on to all that stuff, because... you never know, maybe one day, they might be useful.... But enough of that. If I haven't used them in all those years, the chances that I am doing so now is very little. So it's all going out. Or most of it anyway.
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| Work in progress - first layers |
I found these papier maché letters in one of the boxes, and I had this 20x50cm canvas board that I had bought for a project that I never got round to do. Not a very convient format, but - the letters fitted perfectly on it, so I glued them on to it and added paint.
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| Work in progress - more layers |
I also have far too many paints. Some I've had for ages, but I've discovered new brands that I prefer so they have just been sitting around unused. I've recently taken them all out and painted little samples, and some of them have become all gooey. I've used all those gooey paints for this one, using them up as much as possible before they go into the bin.
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| Finished! |
There really is just no point keeping all that stuff if you're never goint to use it. It might be hard to just throw it all away (good if you have arty friends nearby who would be happy to use them), considering that art materials aren't cheap. But hanging on to them might just be counterproductive. At least that's how it is for me. With my shelves full of stuff, getting to what I want often requires shifting other stuff first, and I easily forget what I actually have. And the result: I don't use them at all. And a cluttered space just doesn't work for me, there's no room for inspiration to blossom. Not that I want a bare, clinical kind of space, not at all. But there is a big difference between creative chaos and pure too-much-stuff mess.
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| Detail |
Now that my holiday, sadly, is over, I hope to finally get some much overdue planning, organising and change making done. Not to mention more time spent in my little studio and with my sketchbook.
Inspirational! Yes, getting rid of things you no longer use or want feels so good. :)
ReplyDeleteA great idea to have a clean out - always feels good!
ReplyDeleteI like what you're doing with the "Happy" word - very nice. Cheers and Happy PPF!
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh love this so much! Those colours are delicious together and the word is wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteI do love your "Happy" art. Really lovely colors. Cleaning is my thing. I hate clutter so I am always rearranging.
ReplyDeleteoh so much fuN! LOVE IT! Happy is what i'm feeling right now. Positive! Happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteTotally understand that. Supplies are so expensive but if you're NOT using them and they gather dust then they're just holding you down like an albatross around your neck. Even worse, when you come across supplies you're not using you feel guilty which is never good for artistic flow. I do this every six months and eventually the stuff I don't use gets binned. It's a process of getting over the guilt to let yourself throw stuff out that was a mistake to buy in the first place or just isn't in your wheelhouse anymore. Love the "happy", that's gonna look fabulous on your wall. It'll remind you of all the hard work "thinning the herd" that you did! Happy PPF.
ReplyDeletenice !!! happy PPF
ReplyDeletemuch love...
Oh this is beautiful!! I hear you about fighting with stuff you don't need. It's a complete waste of energy. We are doing the same in our whole house. As for paint supplies...many preschools, and schools, churches would love those donations. They will use it with kids. Funny how art supplies do get so outdated. I think you have inspired a new blog post. Thank you for that!! Love your Happy letters!!
ReplyDeletePeace Giggles
while reading your post it was like reading about me! I too buy stuff for projects that I then never get around to. Eventually all this stuff accumulates and I find myself digging through stuff to find what I need. I have given some stuff away but I know few artists where I live to give it all away.
ReplyDeleteWonderful happy project! Thank you for this inspiring post.
I like your happy piece of art, and I agree that clearing out of the unused, forgotten, art supplies is a good thing. I've been trying to do a little of that myself. It is hard to toss materials one might possibly have a use for. I am taking a mixed media class and the teacher wants us to save flyers and junk mail that we can paint on. To me saving junk mail is not something I want to do. I have so much paper as it is, non junk, I mean. Maybe this happens when you change from one art form to another.
ReplyDeleteOh what a fun project! Looks so very cool in the end! It feels so satisfying using up all those old stuff, isn´t it?! I think of and big cleaning up my studio myself when coming home from holiday, haha but I know me...it will end up me sitting for days in my room and paint a storm instead the big cleanse ♥ Conny http://piaromsartjournaling.blogspot.de
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