Prairie Sheep Collection

Artwork, Sheep / October 16, 2024 / By

needle felted wool sheep, prairie sheep collection

I have a number of felted sheep that stayed with me when the main collection of the Felted Flock sold. It didn’t seem right to relegate these remainders to storage, not to be seen again, and because they were part of such a creative and expansive project before, in my mind, they needed a re-touch, they needed to become something other than remainders of the felted flock. So I decided to re-create them in a manner that is reflective of the place that stirred the whole project to begin with – the prairie.

The Prairie Sheep Collection includes needle felted ewes in colors reflective of each prairie season: Winter’s Touch, Spring’s Bloom, Summer’s Rise and Autumn’s Calm. And for the traditional, I’ll make a few white sheep and black sheep available as well. And just like the real sheep, no two are alike.

This first group is now at the Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique in Saskatoon and I’ve made a good start on the second group. I’ll continue adding new sheep to the collection which can be viewed here. There is a limited number of these.

Once the staff at the Craft Council has entered them into the store inventory they will be available for purchase. Purchases can be made via the Craft Council, in person, or through their online store. An alternate purchase option is buying ones from the next set directly through me, just send an email. These are available individually for $135 each (CDN funds), or in a small flock of your choosing. I can offer a discount on sets of three or more when a purchase is made through me (discount is not available through Craft Council).

Glad to See Summer Go

Artwork / September 26, 2024 / By

watercolor sketch of two dogsI may be the only person who is glad to know that Summer is behind us and Fall is in full swing. Summer is my least favourite season.
She gets an unfair knock from me though because she heightens my struggle between artwork and ranch work. She heightens my resistance to doing artwork and throws in an extra dose of guilt whenever I’m not outdoors getting something done.

Any artwork accomplished in the summer is hard fought. I’ve been letting myself swing between felting and painting and not worrying which should be a priority because if I’m in the studio it’s a win. I’ve taken a dive into water color painting as something new to learn and be challenged with, and because I know I want to do something similar to drawing again. I am intrigued with watercolor painting even with all the beginner struggles I am having, particularly with painting white subjects like sheep and guardian dogs. And doing paintings outside of the sketchbook, which the one below is, is still very novel and tentative.

watercolor practice

Begin Again Before You Feel Empty

Musing / September 7, 2024 / By

How it can be so difficult to put words, or brush strokes, or pencil marks, onto a blank page is a mystery to me. Taking the action to start any activity of relevance in one’s life is one thing that does not seem to get easier with practice.

It is certainly true for me that the hardest thing to do is put the first words down, or lay the first fibres out, or make the first pencil mark on that too-clean, pristine white page. Doesn’t matter what activity it is, the starting point is a hangup. Even though I’ve conquered thousands of previous starts this is still the case.  And the level of difficulty with starting looms ever larger whenever I leave a significant gap between writing one article, or making one piece of art, and the next. Left in the gap, the resistance grows thicker and heavier until the idea of making anything at all is shrouded in doubt and purposeful forgetting. Even if I manage to do other writing, starting the project that has been lying in wait is a near impossibility.

Starts are so obscure. They are indistinct and vague and they are subject to certain deletion or remaking. They mirror real life a little too much, and like life, they require courageous rising up every single time in every single day.

wool sheep eating grassesThis brief reflecting brings me around to sheep of all creatures, and to a solution that sounds a little like heaven to me. I know it works for them… when you do get going, just go ahead and graze, do not stop until satiated, and always begin again well before you feel empty. I believe the last part is key. If life would cooperate with such a schedule I’d be a happy camper indeed.