Week in Review 2022 – 04/08

Rule Your Impatience

If it is Friday it must be slow flow yoga followed by restorative yoga. Well, you probably don’t think of Friday that way, but that is how I like to bookend my week. My tendency is to push, take power yoga classes, strength classes, shadow boxing and power walking classes. I admit it. I’m driven to work hard and push myself to the limit. I’ve eased up a bit as I mature/age. One way I do this is to make sure I slow down, focus and let my body relax. Restorative yoga, letting the body melt in a supported position is a great way to do this.

A variation of an 8 pointed start block made in pinks, whites and cream with one outlier fabric of highly decorative paisleys and swirls.
This is one of three blocks made in April’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge color – pink. This one has a fraternal twin. In other words same block but with a different placement of fabric and a fabric exchange.

What does yoga practice have to do with making art? Two things immediately spring to mind. One reason I practice yoga is to keep my body strong and supple so I can make art. The other thing it brings to my art is a mindset. The practice of yoga is very much like the practice of art. There is a predictable ritual and order to things. For example in yoga a common line to introduce the beginning of a class is “come to your mat”. This could be restated for my art practice as enter your studio. In both cases it means let go of everything else and focus on the now.

Don’t let Your Impatience rule you.

A crazy pieced block in predominately red fabrics with pops of other colors accenting the reds.
The very first block that when combined with future ones will make up Bat Sh*t Crazy.

Slow flow and restorative practice is a great reminder not to rush. It is so tempting to want to get to the end, either to move on to the next to do item of the day or to see how the current piece will finish. However, if you rush ahead, like the hare in the tortoise and hare, you are unlikely to not only loose the race, but need to redo a myriad of errors. So, as I start Bat Sh*t Crazy, I am proceeding at slow flow pace, tweaking my process, confident that the time spent working out the sticking points will result in a smooth, joyous flow.

I am linking up with:

By Gwyned Trefethen

I am an artist who uses fabric, thread and miscellany to create designs gifted to me by my imagination.

6 comments

    1. I do take my classes online through Peloton. At first I was taking only the power classes, then I thought I would add restorative to the mix. So glad I did.

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