Happy New Year: Accountability and my word for 2017

The handsome Bleubeard, the energetic Squiggles, and I hope you are enjoying an art filled, safe, and beautiful New Year's Day.

It's once again time for my annual accountability post.  This is the one where I see how well I did the previous year, and how well I think I might do in the coming year.  If you want to see my Art 2016 wrap-up, please go here.  To see my 2016 calendar pages go here, please.

Let's begin with my word for 2016, which was Experiment.

It became especially relevant when I joined Craft Barn's alpha dictionary challenges, since I framed it to resemble how you would find it in the dictionary.

Once again, I thought long and hard to find a word that would sum up my art intentions for 2017.  And based on my accountability (or lack thereof as you will soon read), I have decided my word for this year is


FOCUS.
I found many definitions for focus, but the ones I decided to use were:

foh-kuh s  

as a noun
1. The central point or one of attention.

  as a verb
1. To concentrate on something in particular.

2. To bring into view.

This is the first year I have created my word of the year from a photo I took along with digital letters.  It gives me hope that I can move out of the world of actual cut and paste to virtual cut and paste.  And of course, the photo is the black-nosed handsome gray guy who is the face of "our" blog.


As for accountability, let's see my accountability intentions I made on January 1, 2016, and how well I did:

1. Continue to make art that I hope some will find meaningful and show the process along the way. 
That's a no-brainer.  I've been documenting my process and products used for so long, it's habit.

Again, that's a no-brainer.  I've been documenting my process and products used for so long, it's habit.

2. Create at least one tutorial each month.
Since I'm no longer playing in several weekly challenges, I'm setting up a once monthly tutorial that I'll call Second Thursday Tutorial.  That way, I can look back on each month and make sure I've created at least ONE tutorial each month.   Don't worry.  I'm sure there will be more than that, but this way I have accountability for them, as well as a way to count them.

I was able to create 11 of the 12 Second Thursday tutorials this year.  I got so far behind creating giftable art this year, I simply didn't have time to create a dedicated tutorial in December.  But, looking back on all the tutorials I created, especially in April and November, I feel this was something I will continue in 2017.


3.  Interview one artist every three months.
This actually seems more doable to me.  That means I might be asking YOU if I can interview you sometime this year.

I admit this intention fell by the wayside, primarily because I don't have standard questions, like some interviewers.  Each person I interview gets questions specifically designed for them.  I can only say I didn't allow myself time to interview more than one person in 2016, because I hosted a six person International tip-in swap.  Although I would LOVE to host another swap in 2017, I think my best bet would be to interview four people and leave the swap for 2018.


4. Find new and better ways to integrate fabric and paper together. 
The more I expand my knowledge of both, I hope to find new and unique ways to integrate the two.

I'm not sure I found new and better ways to integrate fabric and paper, but I did a lot of sewing on paper this year.  I also made a few quiltlets for Christmas and laughingly tried my hand ONCE at free motion stitching without feed dogs that drop.

5. Dye fabric in my own different and unique way at least once each and every month.
I actually like dyeing fabric better than working with it, so I intend to create new dyed fabric each month.  If the dyed fabric inspires me, I'll even use it in an art project.  By the end of the year, I hope to have at least 12 new dyed (or painted) fabric tutorials (or at least 12 techniques) under my belt.

I seem to be batting a fat zero in my intentions.  Although I dyed fabric several times this year, including finding a way to sun dye fabric using my fluid acrylics, and dyeing using kitchen ingredients like black beans and grape juice, I didn't create 12 tutorials or dye fabric once each month.

6. Stay on top of organizing by setting one day aside each month to show at least one, probably more, organized areas, drawers, shelves, or bins.
Sharing an organized area may be just what I need once a month for What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday (WOYWW).

So what happened here, you ask?  After all, aren't you an organized person?  Well, a flood that ravaged my basement is what happened.  I was so busy trying to pick up everything before it molded, I didn't have time to share any organizing tips.  Instead, I was busy working in the entire basement, including helping to install a brand new hot water heater because the other one died due to (in my opinion) the flood.  Incidentally, I'm still working down there, going through everything to make sure there is no mold left in any of the rooms, including the walls, closets, and floor.

7.  Create at least four abstracts this year.
These actually seem doable to me.

To be honest, I completely forgot about this.  I got wrapped up in other interests, including experimenting, that this got lost in my muddled mind.



This is obviously my worst year yet.  Instead of putting a monthly pressure on me, like one dye experiment each month, I may dye two or three times in the summer, but none in the spring, etc.  And, since I hope I don't have a flood I must clean up myself (the rule is, if the flood comes from inside the home, like a leaking toilet or broken pipe, the insurance company will pay for the cleanup.  If it comes from outside the home, like the flood that ravaged the basement this year, the cleanup is my own problem), I hope to be able to devote more time to art and less time to solving home related problems.

 So let's see what I'm shooting for in 2017:


 1. Continue to make art that I hope some will find meaningful and show the process along the way.
Old habits die hard, so this one I think will be successfully accomplished.

2. Create at least one tutorial each month.
I plan to continue my monthly tutorials on the second Thursday of each month.

3.  Interview one artist every four months.
That means I need to find three unsuspecting suckers artists who I trust and will allow me to interview them.

4. Dye fabric in my own different and unique way
No timetable here.  I'll share as I make it, but I won't put pressure on myself to dye or paint fabric just to fulfill an obligation.

5. Sort, sort, sort.  Be aggressive and donate items I know I will never use. 
I started that when I cleaned the basement and threw many bags of wonderful books away.  But, I have things I will never use, like yarn that others can use.  Since my focus has changed over the years, I now want to focus on assemblages, as well as paper and sewing interests.

6. Plant a real garden this year and use some of the herbs and plants in ecodyeing.
I plan to buy some flowers this year, and although I have focused on herbs only in the past, I look forward to seeing if I can actually grow some flowers that I can use in ecodyeing.
 
7. Create four abstracts. 
Let's hope I don't forget this one.

8. Create ONE Christmas gift a month and several during November for AEDM.
So I don't find myself in this same predicament I did in 2016, I want to create a monthly gift and wrap it.  That way, when Christmas gets here, I'll have all the gifts I need for everyone. 

Of course, you'll have to wait till January, 2018 to see how well I did in 2017.

As always, I appreciate your continued support of my projects.  You and your visits make this all worthwhile!  Here's to a creative and focused 2017.