photo LFD-header_zpsrtqgwepm.png
 photo home_zpsbeyvjzpc.png  photo story_zpsryll93pv.png  photo church_zpsutjg0pcs.png  photo vintage_zpsrnxzz1s4.png  photo mosaics_zpslhx9tjaj.png  photo gallery_zpsrtj0zvcz.png

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Finding Inspiration

Getting paid to be creative is hard sometimes. I've discovered I truly cringe over doing custom work....usually because the buyer has something in mind already, which worries me so much that it feels impossible to just do my thing.  And getting inspired on cue is hard too.  A looming deadline (like the War Eagle Craft Fair on October 13-16) can be helpful or it can be crippling.  You come up with all kinds of tricks to get yourself in the zone to work. I think I found one that worked. Yesterday, I gave myself a little time to browse Etsy for beautiful things that belonged to the feel of the table I wanted to create.

Determining the "feel" of something is important to me.  In the end, I want a piece that people can relate to. They will be able to do that when a piece has one coherent concept, instead of many dis-harmonious parts.  Sometimes the concept is colors. Sometimes the concept is a motif.  Sometimes the concept is contrasting old and new.  But staying true to the concept makes a greater impact. Mosaic isn't hard. You glue stuff to other stuff. But making a mosaic that has the feeling of art takes thought.

So yesterday, I spent some time on Etsy, looking for beautiful things that fed the idea I had for my mosaic table.  I decided to make a treasury (a curated collection of 12 items with 4 alternates) that depicted the concept I was trying to achieve.

Here is the treasury:

Now here is the table I laid out yesterday from this inspiration.

Show prep is grueling. It is messy. I am totally engrossed in it.  But at least I can have a little fun getting inspired.


4 comments:

Into Vintage said...

I feel the same way about custom sewing -- any seamster can sew something together but I have my own point of view/design concepts for the things I make. Are you using Pinterest for inspiration as well?

Into Vintage said...

PS The table is incredible - love your color choices!

Natalie Freeman said...

vanessa, that table is killer. really. & i love what i am seeing with the treasury. keep on doing what you're doing, it is SO good.

Holly said...

I really like this Vanessa. I am a huge fan of circles or swirls (polka-dots). Funny how just taking some time to breathe and enjoy yourself actually helps get the work done instead focusing to intently on "the work".

Blogging tips