In my last post I mentioned having two art/craft shows coming up. Within 24 hours of posting, I decided I would not be participating in them this year. In fact, I was, for the time being, not making work to sell at the gallery or area shows. I just did not need additional deadlines and time pressures right now. Time in the studio was becoming less enjoyable and I needed to make positive changes.

You see, I was married, and 31 years of age when I took my first weaving classes. A few years later we had a daughter and four years after that we moved north. Later, we adopted a son, then a daughter, so family life, homeschooling, church, community activites took up most of my life, and weaving became an occasional activity. I started making towels and table runners to sell, then added wool socks, thankful to have the opportunities. And all through those years, ideas I had remained unrealized.

Well, this fall I’ll be 60, it’s nearly 30 years later, and I’m asking myself “what are you waiting for?” An empty nest is coming up fast so I am busy now setting things in place to give me work to do that I love, goals and dreams to achieve. There is so much more to learn about weaving, color, design, dyeing, spinning, felting, and more.

Will I ever sell my work again? I expect I will, I receive occasional emails and phone calls asking if I could make this or that. I may be back in the gallery and doing three or four art shows again next year, after work on the house is done.
But even then, the learning and weaving what I WANT to weave must come first.

I’m very excited about the possibilities! It’s time to bring the fun and sense of adventure back into the studio. It’s time to learn, explore, create, and turn the ideas into reality. Shuttle Works Studio is becoming a place to make new things happen, one step at a time. Let the adventures begin!