Category: Creativity

First Oil Paintings

Posted on

When I moved to Thailand in 2022, I decided to put my crochet hooks down and get back into pen and paper. I began to draw again; my preferred art as a child was fresh and new to me again. I have always loved bold, black ink, and began contrasting it with watercolor. This is what got me into painting, and I decided I wanted to take an official class.

Apparently, to no surprise at all, watercolor is very tricky– and you cant just sign up for the watercolor course at the Glassell School of Art unless you take Painting Fundamentals I. So that’s what I have been doing this semester every Tuesday night. We were given the option to choose between acrylics and oil; I chose oil, and I am so glad I did. The simple act of mixing the paint colors together on palette paper is so wonderfully cathartic and addictive… the oils glide so smoothly onto the canvas, and remain blendable for as long as you may need them to be. It’s really just a dream. Any time I may have attempted paint in the past, the acrylics would dry on the mat before I had the chance to lay down any vision. I love oils.

It is however still a massive learning curve– and I’ve been learning so much! I haven’t been doing any doodling or art beside this… just putting nose to the grindstone and sinking hour after hour into the tedious process of painting layers of oil, representations of random objects I may never have chosen to do a study of on my own.

These are the works I have done so far, and I am currently working on a perspective drawing of the inside of my bedroom which I actually think may turn out to be something I would hang (In the same bedroom, of course).

I love the class but I do look forward to having my schedule open to spend my creative energy on projects I really want to do. I can’t wait…

Plastic Yarn

Posted on

I quit crochet a few years ago– that was entirely intentional. For many different reasons I decided to hang up my hooks: the main one being I had hit a wall in the creative journey of it all. I crocheted like a madwoman in my 20s, finishing over 30 blankets that were full or even king-sized (and that was just the blankets!) I learned to create my own patterns, create without a pattern, attempt any stich arrangement, Tunisian crochet, Irish lace crochet, amigurimi, and even freeform. Could I have gone further– I’m sure, the parabola never fully reaches zero– but it felt like I had finally exhausted the art form. I like to learn new things, and challenge myself. The crochet also became a very addictive, almost STIMMING-like activity. I needed to move on if I was to continue to grow as a creative human being.

That’s why I decided to move my focus from fiber back to paper. I returned to my love of drawing from childhood, which has evolved into watercolor and now even oil paints. I am revived, creatively– stimulated by a beginner’s mindset and surrounded by new things to learn. I love it.

But lately I’ve had times where I longed to pick up the hooks again. Particularly in the evening, if I want to watch something on TV. Crochet was the mindless activity that transformed “watching television” into a productive time of my day. I think I could pick up a small crochet project to do in these times– but I dont want to fully jump BACK into crochet.

SO! I found the perfect project. A few months ago I learned that Houston has completely stopped recycling plastic– and I also came across a TikTok of a girl transforming plastic bags into yarn. The lightbulb went off! I have always saved up any plastic bags to use as trash bags, etc. But I save way more than I ever use. I can transform them into plastic yarn! Once I have “enough”, I think I’ll crochet a basket or reusable grocery bag out of it. Turning a plastic bag(s) into a plastic bag!