Winter dreaming

It's seven AM. The woodstove has been started and is crackling. Warmth is spreading through the room.The sun has reached the tops of the mountains in the west,(the Adirondacks) and has turned them pink. Gradually the pink highlights spread to more peaks and then a distant high field facing east. Layers of fields are revealed in the morning light. Dark evergreen strips divide fields and are highlighted
as the sun eases higher in the sky.
We have had so little snow that the general tone is a light brown instead of the usual blast of brilliant winter white.Then the sun stretches out and the fields turn golden inspiring more themes for my batik. It is a wonderful February day!
I will be leaving to go feed and clean my cow, Steppin-Up and her heifer, Footstep. How pleasant the barn is.The animals will be anticipating their feed and a friendly scratch. There will be the contented sounds of them eating hay and grain and the sweet smell of hay and shavings.
I will be working on painting wax on more batik this morning upstairs in my studio. it is winter so I use mostly beeswax mixed with a little parafin. Parafin wax crackles too easily in cold weather, which can over crackle the design on the batik. Beeswax is softer and much easier to use in winter. To me it is the queen of waxes and also less harmful to inhale. Waxing should always be done with good ventilation and I have an exhaust fan in the studio which has improved things tremendously.

Inventory waiting for Spring

Catch up

Well lately it feels like I am just doing catch up work on the batik pieces that have been in progress around the studio. I have done some dying on the warmer February days. And waxing on some of the colder days. Of course, I appreciate that we didn't get all of the snow that went south!

So now I have a good number that need to be ironed. Maybe I can attack that during the next snowstorm when I am trapped inside. But then again, after snow storms, I like to go out snowshoeing, so maybe not!

Snowy Day

Well today is a snowy day with high winds expected later. Footstep was all dressed up for the holidays last month! Though I am not sure that she truly appreciated the process.

It is interesting to think about the daily discipline that the animals and farm work imposed on me (schedules, physical work and timeliness) which the process of creating art never did. If I wanted to stay up all night working on designs, the only one to suffer was me when I was dragging in the morning (or my husband when I was grouchy from lack of sleep!).

But the animals help me keep to a schedule and get me out working which allows me to come back to the studio with a fresh perspective and ideas. It actually can be a good break.

Animal Inspiration

Well, the winter work area continues to progress! A fan is in which will make it easier to operate and work in that attic area. I was reviewing photos today of a number of batik and painted works that I have done in the last year and the scope and direction of the designs is interesting when you really see them all grouped together.

I thought I would include another picture of a major source of inspiration. After 30 years of farming, this is my current muse. Footstep is growing into a nice heifer, representing Amity Farm well.

(Though I do have to admit, I have finally done a batik with a Holstein in it!)

Intense Supervision

Just thought I would make sure everyone meets my Quality Control Specialist at home, Singer. She is very focused on assisting me as I work on various batik designs.

It makes her very happy when I do my work, of course it also makes me happy too! Most of the time!

But as you see she has been warned about getting too close to the work - sometimes she listens and sometimes she doesn't.

Planning for the Year

Well the cold and snowy weather is making it easy to just work on plans and design ideas. It is a challenge to dye material outside or in the garage right now!!

But I am working on where I might be selling, displayed or promoting during the next year. So many choices to try and winnow down. Keep thinking about spring and feel free to send any ideas my way!