Taking a break... other forms of creativity

I recently had a week off for spring break, and although I had planned to work on a new still life at school, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I still attended my extra night classes, but otherwise felt burned out.

I spent a lot of the break doing little that I could call productive... in retrospect I think I felt a bit stifled by the daily academic coursework. Don't get me wrong--I love it, but there is not a great deal of room for creative exploration and experimentation. As creative as I am daily, I felt completely the opposite. And as much as I craved something different, I was slow to get over my general fatigue.

But the time was not completely wasted: I created online book marks for web sites of artists I like, and discovered a few new ones in the process; I checked out library books on wood engraving, sewing and jewelry making (and yes, Rembrandt and Durer and Michelangelo); I organized and rearranged the house (well, somewhat organized); I went for long walks ("long" for March in Minneapolis) and visited thrift stores and book stores.

I am back in school now and feel energized to complete the rest of the semester and am already thinking ahead to summer projects. Lots of painting and sketching. And definitely more jewelry (see my first two creations below).





Jeff has been searching for the perfect necklace for years. I took a chance and created one for him.




Created as a birthday gift for my sister Mindy. The pendant is a fossil from Morocco (ammonite).