Revisiting Work

The studio needs a good clean up at the end of every day. But days get rushed and I often "misfile" a lot of my work in the interest of saving time. Not a great strategy for the long run. So often, I will have to devote weekends to doing a deeper cleaning of the studio. This weekend, I sat with several cups of coffee and went through stacks of files that had accumulated on my shelf. I always have good intentions for keeping files, but I definitely needed to turn my attention to this task. Over the course of the weekend, I found a lot of buried work in the files. Pages I had started to work on, even gilded, but then gave up part way through. Often I start projects for fun, but work demands take over so pieces are left unfinished. The view of these unfinished pieces takes place with fresh eyes. I feel differently than whan I started the piece so I am able to reflect from a new perspective. It's like looking at someone else's work. I can either see where I was going or not and from that perspective, I choose whether or not to keep the work. Lots went into the recyle bin but some were filed again to be completed as the mood takes me. I found a lot of drawing and older illuminations in the files. All of it was work that was just practicing a technique but it was wonderful to visit it again. It helps to see the work again with new eyes. What looked like failure pieces are really just part of the process of learning. The florals I worked on while trying to figure out strategies for using Duralar.

The paper holds wonderful tight lines from the coloured pencil but clogs easily and needs to be worked on from both the front and back of the paper. I can remember the struggle to learn how to use a new medium. I remember the struggle of trying to make the work look correct and remember the hours invested. They look completely different to me now and reflect the process of learning rather than the finished product. The vellum pieces have good points and bad points. What a learning curve with how to use washes of watercolour on a surface that can buckle with too much water.

These pieces teach me so much. They are illuminating in a completely different sense right now. I still regularly and faithfully purge my portfolio. I get rid of older work that I no longer want to fill my eyes or my mind. But I let it teach me before it is discarded. I started a new file to reflect the lessons I have learned. I wonder what that file will teach me the next time I visit.