And the Award for Artistic Insomnia Goes to Last Night and the 6:30 AM Bedtime #liberateyourart

I prefer working on creative projects at night. No pretty birds in the yard to distract me. No one to bother me. Not much of interest on TV. That warm, delightful silence that the darkness offers after everyone else is asleep. Best working hours always.

Last night apparently my sketchbook practice turned into a much more elaborate effort than I had anticipated...bedtime ended up being 6:30 AM...just before sunrise so at least it was dark when I shut my eyes.

Here is the painting that true insomnia produced. All images copyright Virginia E. Berry 2015

Again, rough images taken with my cell phone. Better images another day. My laborious, whimsical sketchbook addition:

Close up of raw crystal crown, an idea I've had for a while for a jewelry project.

Pocket pet rat baby on an arrow that reads "Big ideas constantly swarm me"

Rumination text in bird reads: "My mind is swarming with big ideas, they keep me up at night. Like a constant fight, I rarely sleep for fear of losing the good ones. The ones I ruminate on for hours on end, I try to write down, to capture, like wild creatures I hope to cultivate into remarkable contributions. My meager marks on this world. I know we race through this short life, and with that I hope to leave it better than when I entered it. Some nights my thoughts wake me in the middle of my dreams, demanding I record them. I am of simple means, extravagant dreams and humble talent. I read, study and practice constantly, seeking a way to launch my dreams into the universe."

This is what Insomnia Does.

(If you want to read the commentary, click on the picture to view a full size version).

Why Does the Muse Strike During a Bout of Insomnia?

Last night (this morning) my mind decided that sleeping was not an option. No biggie. It started off with a splitting headache to which I said..."ok headache, if you plan to keep me from sleeping, I am going to be productive and make something." I grabbed a scrap of leather I had intended for a cuff style bracelet.

Lounging in my living room by the windows with the best cool air flow (it's been a sauna this week...cool air flow is essential), box cutter, cutting board and scissors in hand I set off on an ex..PER..iment *said in booming announcers voice. Per the suggestion in the ebay description when I bought my most recent batch of leather, I set off to make delicate lace like designs. The following is my first attempt:


It did not occur to me until about 4 AM that I had dabbled with similar cutting thoughts before. My grandma had this cool Japanese Cut Paper Art book that I played with when I was a kid (she had all sorts of great art books and sewing supplies etc.; fun babysitter!). I've since acquired this book and dug it out and started flipping through.

Huge mistake (brilliant idea). I was so inspired by the textures I grabbed my essential bedside post-it notes and started flagging images that grabbed my attention. Often small portions, especially textiles and floral motifs, found in more elaborate images. That was it, I was done for, no chance of shut eye pre-sunrise.

I grabbed the sketchbook I'm slowly trying to fill for the Sketchbook Project...pardon the interruption but this is a cool project I want to point out to anyone with any interest in making art what-so-ever. It is this cool collaborative art project (one of several organized by the Art House Co-Op) in which participants fill a sketchbook and submit it to a traveling sketchbook library. Then, exhibit (library) patrons can check out the sketchbooks like a book and take them home to peruse the pages first hand! Brilliant! Like making art? You should seriously consider participating :)

Woo Woo, ok, the train is back on the track. So I grabbed my sketchbook and started drafting ideas I had for cuffs. I came up with a couple last night (this morning) then woke at 10:30 (5 hours of sleep, really muse?) and sat down with the Japanese Cut Art book for a while and came up with several more designs. I am extremely excited about this project. Here is what I've done so far:


Be sure to check out the below link on Japanese Cut Paper Art. It is an incredibly beautiful art form. I have always been enchanted by it. This is a cool step by step video on the process.