SEVEN YEARS LATER

When I was a kid, I remember my mother complaining that I never finished what I started.  She was right.  I would develop some sudden enthusiasm and throw myself into whatever-it-was and then just as suddenly lose all interest and drop it.  I had unfinished projects littering the house. 

I remember being furious with her for pointing this out--because I knew it was true.

I made a vow to myself that I would "finish what I started" from then on.  And mostly I've stuck to that vow.  My mother did me a big favor.

After completing a really challenging project last week (more about that in a future post), I had finally cleared the decks of all my recent textile endeavors and was free to think about what's next.  I do have one additional rug underway but can finish that as soon as the weather turns cooler and I can get back in the studio.

As soon as I asked myself, "What IS next?" I realized I had two ancient unfinished objects that I truly wanted to complete.  One is a quilt I started at least 30 years ago.  But that's in pieces in various boxes and will have to wait a while longer, until I can find everything.  The other, though, is a punch needle embroidery face that I started at least seven years ago.  Here it is. 

I finished 9/10s of this back around 2009, and then I had to stop for reasons I no longer recall.  Not smart.

This morning I finished the face, despite running into a soft spot in the backing that was threatening to disintegrate completely.  (Eeeek!  Desperation was only seconds away.)

The piece itself is actually in full color, but I used an app to switch it to black and white to study the values.

I think I could have done a better job of finishing.  However:  If one has abandoned a project for over seven full years, and one has been silly enough NOT to store it neatly in a bag with its appropriate colors, then "one" will have to spend most of the day guessing at what colors were used, at how many threads were being used per stitch, and at what in the world I was thinking when I put it down with so little to finish.  Jeez!

After I got all that sorted out--kinda--I finished the tiny space that remained in less that half an hour.  I mean, by dropping this piece to work on something else seven years ago, it just made everything so much harder when I went to pick it up again.  Oy!

Perhaps I thought I'd get right back to it.  I never did.  And I've thought about finishing it ever since.  There is still a lot of work to be done.

Next up:  punching the hair, then some type of background.

I'm now thinking of a whole series of embroidered portraits.  I know that when I finally finish this project and post a color version, it will be clear just how far I still have to go to improve--but that's half the fun of learning to draw/punch/paint/hook.  I can only get better! 

Or so I tell myself.

And much as I hate to admit it:  Thanks, mom.

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"Consider the postage stamp:  its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there."
Josh Billings

"The artist uses the talent he has, wishing he had more talent. The talent uses the artist it has, wishing it had more artist."
Robert Brault