I'm running a series of pictures of patterns over at AbovetheGWB Photo I am working on incorporating a "studio journal" into my daily practice. The class I am taking online is with Sharon B and I have written about it here before.



I am doing more "thinking about it" than using it right this moment, but in part that is while I am processing how to change the focus from fabric to the sort of collage of things that I do. Besides, I was knitting a bathroom rug, and that took time.
I have been shooting a lot of photos, and I decided to get away from representation and into pattern for pattern's sake, so you'll have to bear with me a bit.


















Meanwhile, I think part of the dithering is because I want to do so many things and Sharon B. is so pinpoint about what she is all about. I admire that a lot and it makes me feel unfinished or some version of that because there really is no way I would be totally happy with one thing.

The word dilettante springs quickly to mind. At least the definition they use first is lover of the arts. Followed by jack of all trades master of none or words to that effect.

I am loving shooting so many photos. There was a class at ICP that required shooting a roll of film a day doesn't that sound like a great class???? I REALLY wanted to take that class and kept ditzing about it (partly because of the cost, I can assure you) I am almost doing the equivalent now and it is amazing. Digital photography is certainly liberating in that way, and I don't have to pay for developing.

the half-used journal stack

This is my stack of half-used journals. As you can see, I experimented with a lot of different bindings, different sizes, different papers.

When I moved I gathered these all in one place when I put my "studio" together, and there they sit. Now I am going to stare at them for a bit and figure out what I want in a studio journal. I know it can't be "precious" or I will NOT use it. I have proved that already.

I want something I can carry around with me. So that will limit the size somewhat. If I don't carry it around then I will start splitting things up again, and have one in my purse and one at home and they will never sync up.

I think I don't want a ring binding, since they take up space in my bag. The one that is the closest to full and has a lot of things I like in it is the biggest one near the bottom. I left that on my desk and glued things in it that grabbed my interest. That is what I want this journal to do. But I want it to be with me when I see those things, so half that size would probably work.

I am going to go stare at the assembled multitudes of journals in the studio. Something is going to work.