Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Color Causing Crap

Slowing but surely over the past several days, I have felt the start of a funk moving in. I know exactly what the problem is too. It's color. You know me and color... it is an epic love-hate relationship. I adore color... color is my favorite... I could drink it for breakfast... it just makes me so happy, except when it doesn't work the way I have in mind.

I have two very specific color combos on the brain right now. I have hit a brick wall with both of them.

First up is what I am going to call the "Purple Passion" combination. Purple is one of my favorite colors and I feel like I have been neglecting it lately. Fall is at our doorsteps and what better way to usher in this new cooler season then with a rich and regal royal purple. I envision royal purple with a deep amethyst and I want those accented with RED... and FUCHSIA! I can see it all so clearly in my head. It is so pretty. But after 2 1/2 hours of torching on Monday with those exact colors, I had all of four crap beads. Grr.

Next up it is the "Retro Combo" that is causing me issue. I am seeing in my mind's eye a true turquoise with persimmon-y red and deep chocolate brown. I want big loopy florals and swirls of swirlie-ness. (I am even working on piecing a quilt together with these colors... photos coming soon.) But dang heck.... another 2 hours of torching and I have like 6 beads this time around. The florals aren't floral enough... the swirls not swirly... and the whole thing is lookin' really western for some cotton pickin' reason.

I am trying to combat my color frustration with new glass. I found a CiM color called Sangre that is supposed to be the most lipstick perfect red glass around. I decided to grab a few rods of a few other CiM colors too while I was at it and I have my fingers crossed that when it arrives, I won't waste as much as I have wasted in the past two days of other colors. (I mean, I literally have about 20 beads, cracked and trashed on my desk for one reason or another... that is a lot of glass.)

With further dissection of the impending funk... I think I have too much going on at the moment so I am finding it difficult to focus on one thing. I met last week's deadline but have another looming come October 1st, I have behind the things stuff that I can't talk about (this may be the only thing keeping a full blown funk at bay, I can't wait to tell you about it), I have house projects, kids' stuff, and then these few precious hours to work with crappy fruitless efforts. It is enough to make any artist belly up with a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby and just down it all!

I don't know. Maybe this mini rant/temper tantrum will clear my mind. I'll sit down, make a list and prioritize. I'll decide what is a must get done and what is a mustn't. And if all else fails, I'll take a deep breathe and fall back on my old color stand by.... "When in doubt, pull all the colors out".

6 comments:

Christine said...

OMG, CiM's Sangre is the BEST red ever. I adore red glass, absolutely ADORE it, and I have searched for a red that does not die in the flame and turn yucky and muddy. Sangre stays perfectly red and you don't need to strike it. Can you tell I love this color??

Jo said...

Both colour combos sound gorgeous, especially the retro one. I get the same when I've got too much to do - I end up with lots of half done, none of them perfect projects lying aboutteh house and I HATE it!
Good luck!

Deb said...

Kerry - it will come right!
I don't know how but it will ;o)

How about trying some reverse psychology on yourself - pick a couple of colours that you don't like so much (if there is any such thing - lol) & work with them....what's the bet that something stunning, that doesn't break or crack & swirls just right, will come out of it.

Actually I call that murhy's law ;o)

Anonymous said...

try leaky pen and celadon together they are an awesome combo. Have fun pam

rosebud101 said...

Kerry, I love your choices of colors in your work. They are funky and they are colors I would have never guessed would have worked together. Sometimes, just mindless play will help. I amaze myself sometimes, but, then, most of the time I come to realize that I am not Kerry! You go, girl!

deehebard said...

...not to worry...it will work itself out when you just let it happen!
Just breathe!