Good morning all,

Please forgive the delay in proceeding with the "paper" strip. We will.

This is how you manage studio life in the middle of a move from San Diego to Austin. I would like to introduce you to a STUDIO RULE . These aren't really rules. They are more like an opportunity to break out of some of my self imposed habits, and explore new territory.

And, yes, you can and may have more than one project going at once, and produce phenominally. Here's why. Many times one phase of an idea is at a waiting period, let's say an hour, or two, or longer. During that hour you may continue spinning ideas on how you can "do this differently" (which is a good bank of ideas phrase.

You could write them down, but that would still leave the concept untried. Fine, instead apply this STUDIO RULE. Instead of bypassing the ideas flowing in when a wait period arrives, grab the nearest raw materials (paper, clay, glass, fiber, whatever is the first you lay eyes on) and try to apply the most immediate idea or any other idea immediately coming to mind.

With only the materials at hand, use them. Don't go scrounging around for more than a couple of things. This is not The Treasure Hunt Studio Rule. This is The Grab It and Use It Studio Rule (because all your other stuff is out of reach, say packed to move?).

Here are some for instances. In January 2006, I only had some paper and colored pencils, but wanted to be creating quilts that were not traditional designs, but played with new patterns and designs. With my traveling colored pencils, I began with a doodle. Then I made the doodle into something else, by applying the principles and elements of design singularly, or in various combinations. I only had time for three here. There were boxes involved, I am sure.

If you can read this set, you will see I was in the kitchen a lot just prior to this. The middle image began with what a fried egg looks like.

I was very tired of the sphere of eggs creations. Although not finished, I wanted a break. These breaks will usually weed out projects which do not evolve into anything as begun. (Note: This is a very valuable positive, not a negative at all.) They in turn become the raw materials for any of these Grab It and Use It projects. This often results in a raw material becoming a valued material, or (choose one: fun, wow, exciting, full of potential spin offs) technique.

So today, maybe even right now, try to do something with only the few raw materials you have around. Later on it too could be considered a raw material and added to another creation. Using these methods has given me so many ideas, finished art pieces, trash to take out, and smiles, smiles, smiles. What a way to live. Creating was the first act ever, and I am created in the image of my Maker. The first thing He ever did was create. You too. The first thing you ever did was create. If He enjoyed it so much, we should enjoy moments of creation still.

Please post me on your discoveries and creations. I'll post them here for everyone to see. Please post the lessons learned, and what doesn't work out, with or without pictures, so we can all avoid some heartache and learn along with you. When artists share what they learn in such a manner, they also cannot avoid to inspire someone, somewhere, eventually. It's a blast to find out about it.

Wow! That was a long posting.