In the Thick of Thesis

Annual Holiday Sale

at Cobscook Pottery

Lubec, Maine

December 5-7, 2014

Fri. 3-7, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-4

Refreshments and Holiday Cheer! 

 Herring Platter

 Bouli in the nook helping me write the thesis paper.

 I've been like a cat moving from space to space while writing the thesis. Cold snowy days are perfect for working by the fire. (Okay, so we have only had one snowy day so far this season...but you better believe I took advantage of the opportunity for getting cozy!!!)

 Found bone at Mowry Beach. What is it?

 Heart Stone at Hamilton Cove

Lubec, Maine

 Cascading waters at Hamilton Cove

Lubec, Maine

 Me at the beach. The woolens are in use!

 Seaweed Slugs

Mowry Beach, Lubec, Maine

 Gull braving the waves on a grey day at West Quoddy.

Lubec, Maine

 Greens and blues at West Quoddy.

Lubec, Maine

 Sunset at Low Tide, Mowry Beach

Lubec, Maine

Gulls and Cormorants at the Breakwater

Lubec, Maine

 McCurdy Smokehouse at High Tide

Lubec, Maine

Gulls on the Breakwater at High Tide

Lubec, Maine

 

Driftwood

Severed and uprooted, drifted over tides to settle in sand along the shore in some fishing village at the edge of the world.  I feel your pain, amputated at the trunk, plucked from the rich brown earth and tossed to sea. Weathered you wear the sensuous lines of an O’Keeffe oil, like petals resembling hills, undulating like a woman’s curves except where a chainsaw sliced you from your limbs and leaves, exposing rings hundred-fold. If only those rings could talk we would hear the tales of children who built treehouses, birds who perched a lookout, and bears who climbed to reach for honeybees’ hive. Fated to be solitary, landlocked until the next big wave musters the strength to carry you away.

I've been in thesis hibernation for the better part of two months now. Other than a couple walks with friends and a couple evenings out, I have considered myself sequestered. It's a tight schedule that began with four weeks of drawing followed by the current four week writing stint. I will admit that I am getting a bit stir crazy at this point but must stay the course. My friends and family have all been understanding all are allowing me the space I need. Today was a shifting point in the project where I finally felt a bit of peace being able to see how the rest of the paper might come together. The start was rocky. Very rocky. Research took longer than planned and then, I who enjoys writing, hit writer's block. For months I had been looking forward to working on this project and now, suddenly, my voice decided to shrink away.

After a few days of moving from room to room, pacing, grumbling, reading, posting on Facebook, and eating far too much chocolate, I finally settled in. Research writing definitely is a slower pace than blogging. In all honesty, though research is part of my paper, the bulk of the writing revolves around the thesis project.

My thesis project is a series of drawings. I created five drawings and from those have selected three for the final exhibit in January. The essence of the work is a combination of sense of place, vibration/energy, and artist as channel. It's a bit "out there" but, I think, sort of interesting to ponder.

So, tonight I felt I had a handle on the paper and where I am going with it. To celebrate I decided that a bit of normalcy was in order. I took to the cave and started in on holiday orders and here I am after a day of writing....writing a blog. At one time I blogged weekly. I miss these weekly ramblings but, as with most people, life gets in the way sometimes.

During this thesis crunch time I had to let go of two major shows (aka winter income!!!) and my holiday sale is a bit later than usual. It has been scheduled within the two week window of when I pass in my thesis draft and before it is returned to me for edits. I am a bit behind with everything and hope that the later-than-usual holiday open house sale steers clear of nasty winter weather and that I still get to see all the usual suspects that I enjoy catching-up with.

Next week is Thanksgiving. May you all have a happy belly full of pie and time with the ones you love.