Friday 29 August 2008

Take it Further

Well, it's August and I am somewhat amazed that I haven't completely fallen by the wayside in the Take it Further challenge. At the beginning of the month Sharon said "I my chaotic and hectic life I often admire people who are able to maintain balance in their lives. What is balance to you? Do you maintain a balanced life? How do you balance aspects of your life? That is the challenge this month - balance."
~
You may remember (or probably don't) that at the start of the year I chose three words to be my guide this year. One of those words was "Balance" so really I should have had this thought in my head all the time. If you take a look at the dictionary definition of Balance you may be surprised at the number of interpretations.
~
There have been times in my life when things have got seriously out of balance but currently (at the risk of tempting fate) life is well balanced. Of course, as you might expect, my version of "balanced" is a life with lots and lots of creativity. This is probably at the expense of what anyone else would accept as a "normal" lifestyle. Housework and the Rat Race are a long way out balanced by a huge chunk of creativity. It is this "balance" which helps me maintain my feeling of balance in life.
~
In terms of art I have been taught to consider balance when constructing a painting and to work all over a painting so that it is brought to a completion as a whole and no one area is completed in isolation. If you check back here (you'll need to scroll down a bit) you will see a piece of crazy patchwork that I started earlier this month. I am intending to take this on holiday to keep me occupied in the evenings but I could not resist making a start on it this week.



Although I didn't consciously set out to do it I found that I was working across the piece. This crazy patchwork is obviously in its early stages. This is the first piece of crazy patchwork I have done and I am hoping to stretch myself by bringing in lots of new(to me) embroidery stitches. You can see my start in the collage below.

I am sure that while I am working on this piece it will come in and out of balance but hopefully while I "Take it Further" I will end up with something harmonious which will have helped me maintain the balance I have in my life. I have to say that without my very special DH who tolerates my obsession with creating there would be no balance! :o)

Posted by Picasa

5 comments:

Gina said...

I love your idea of balance Julie!

DILLY said...

Hewo luvly Julie!

Dilly luv peece werk, be very pwitty.

¬"

The WestCountryBuddha said...

Mmmm it's an interesting thing "balance". You can look at a piece of your own work and just know whether it's balanced or not without analysing it. You can see it in others work too, but always have to remember that it may have seemed balanced to them if not to you. I took part in a challenge recently using asymetry to try and find balance and I think everyone found it incredibly difficult, to do, and to be original. I'm looking forward to seeing how you get on! AND, you obviously have a star of a DH!!

Unknown said...

I love your "balanced" toughts. I am very curious how this is developping....

Timaree said...

More time creating and less doing housework IS balanced isn't it? I know my husband doesn't think so but since he's retired can't I be?

Will love to see this block when you get it done.