"THE *WILL-I* QUESTIONS"

I’ve just returned from an art workshop with artist Madeleine Durham where I had lots of fun making Modern Paste Papers following Madeleine’s oh-so-creative technique using some remarkable Japanese papers. It looked so easy! But, it wasn’t. Even though I had fun, I couldn’t ‘get it’. And then, in the final twenty minutes of the workshop, I came close to Madeleine’s technique. But, the workshop was over and it was time to pack up.

Now I’m home and when the schedule clears a bit, in the tradition of W.E. Hickson (who popularized the proverb: “‘Tis a lesson you should heed: Try, try, try again. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again”), I’m going to “try, try, try again.”

In the meantime, I’ve hung some of the papers I made, the Studio, to give me ideas about colour, design and paper selection.
* Will I … use the ever-reliable Arches Text-Wove or will I … use some of the wonderfully versatile and lightweight Washi (wa= japanese; shi = paper) Japanese papers that Linda of Washi Arts brought?
* Will I … stick with my favourite colours of blues/turquoise/purple/deep burgundy or will I … experiment with colours that are anything-but my favourites? * Will I … focus on the selection of pattern or will I … just let things happen?

Life is a little bit like that. There are questions with each dilemma we face and often the presenting question is … “Will I … ?” There is freedom in that question for me … freedom in considering the options … freedom in choosing one of the options … freedom in making a decision … freedom in following a certain path.

Summer is a great time to think and plan and while I haven’t made a decision about any of the options yet, before the summer ends … I will!

Thanks to
Paste Paper Artist: Madeleine Durham
https://www.facebook.com/madeleinedurhampastepapers/
Washi Paper Artist: Linda of Washi Arts
https://www.washiarts.com/