Sunday, September 27, 2015

Time for more introspection

I spoke about this on my other blog, but felt it would be more appropriate to enlarge on it here.

Yesterday was my alcohol ink workshop, and for some reason, I came away a little dis-satisfied.  I had taken the workshop last spring and had to leave for a couple of hours in the middle of it.  My hope was that I would come away with more on the technical aspects of making landscapes.  Didn't happen.  Thinking about it I realize that the instructor had moved on in her own journey and the class she taught yesterday reflected the direction her work has taken--as it should.  So, maybe the flaw is in me.  This left me thinking about what I had wanted to accomplish by taking yet another workshop.

Alcohol inks are hot right now, but there aren't enough years 
left for me to become really skillful with it. So why do it?

1. to satisfy my curiosity. I've never met a technical challenge that I didn't, at least attempt to, meet.

2. to answer the question of whether this technique might have a place in my work.  No, probably not.

3. Is there any potential for me to make money  at this? No, others are doing it better,and this really is a sort of "flavour of the month".  just a passing fad.  And the supplies are expensive.

So, Only # 1 provides any rationale at all for me to pursue this.  I will play with the supplies I have, but go no further.

And I will appreciate the skill I see in others.

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