The Quest For Less Stuff
the quest for less stuff
i have too much stuff. while my flat isn't even close to overflowing, i (like most people) bring in more than i get rid of. the thought of ever moving is daunting; i started six years ago with the contents from my bedroom in my parents house, & over that time i've slowly filled the whole place (currently with the help of my boyfriend). one of the things i wanted to do this year was go through each room & do a clean-out, & today i took on my wardrobe.
after being directed to this blog entry where the writer sets herself the goal of cutting the number of items of clothing she possesses down to 100, i wondered whether i could do the same. it turns out i can't, but after a few hours of sorting through things, my total wardrobe content is now approximately 200 items (that's not counting socks/tights/underwear but covers everything else, including belts/scarves/shoes). a part of me was a little disappointed with the outcome; despite having a bag of 30 items i no longer want, it doesn't actually feel like i've made any sort of dent in my belongings. however, this is also where my one-in-one-out policy starts. definitely time to cut back on the frivolous charity shop/ebay purchases
200 articles of clothing sounds like a lot to me, but after going through everything i own, it doesn't seem like so much. how big is your wardrobe?
More Posts from Jen-collins and Others
this year
this year has been so different from last year for me, work-wise. the majority of 2010 in illustration terms was making things to sell, screen-printing & taking part in lots of exhibitions/projects. this year one the other hand... well, for one, i haven't screen-printed at all, which saddens me. however, i've mainly worked with clients, which has been a nice experience; before 2011 i didn't really have that under my belt. i'm now coming to the end of a few jobs & am excited to see those pulled together by the people i'm creating them for. as well as that though, i'm looking forward to getting some personal work done. really, really looking forward to that.
in the meantime, above is a snippet of something. i'm not sure how it happened, but almost all the jobs i've worked on this year have been food-related (though i don't personally view pigs as food).
also in the meantime, here are some incredibly talented ladies whose work i've been swooning over, either just recently or for some time. take a look: tuesday bassen / kaye blegvad / carson ellis / lauren gentry / mary-kate mcdevitt / hannah waldron / ping zhu
in wild waters
my boyfriend recently opened an online shop to sell his prints. all bias aside, i recommend you take a look at his work (including the above print, in wild waters). he's had a few sales already, but he's still offering a free mini-print with the next seven orders. go!
I want this blouse, so I drew it. Image used for reference (a rarity!) so definitely maybe don't view them side-by-side.
peek
apologies for blog silence. i can assure you i've been hard at work, but everything i'm producing at the moment is either for clients or an exhibition. above is a peek at something i finished today; a little triptych of a secret cabin in the mountains. i'll post the full piece next month.
brand new
fresh start! hello, it seems you've found your way over to my new blog. along with a new website layout, i thought i'd try another platform for outpourings. if you wouldn't mind updating your google reader & feeds, that'd be much appreciated.
for any nostalgia trips (just me?), you can see all posts from 2007 to 2011 here.
summer 2013 is the summer of making things, apparently. i just added a couple of new things to the shop in the form of the pretty little tiger you'll see above, plus another new postcard set. i've also got a couple of other things up my sleeve. it's good to be busy.
new ways of living (i)
the looking for trouble exhibition - mentioned in my last post - opened in nottingham today. at long last (& it really has felt like forever) i can post some new work online.
i produced a small body of work for the show, collectively titled new ways of living; the pieces are an illustrated exploration into the notion of simplicity in modern life. a hint at how convoluted things can get & perhaps a reminder to step back & evaluate. or something like that.
above is a piece titled haircut, an edition of twelve (because at the time of drawing it'd been twelve months since my last haircut) giclée prints. i'll be posting the rest of the work over this coming week.
new year
a slightly belated happy new year! this little blog has lacked updates over the past few weeks for various reasons (working, living in two places, festivities, getting tinnitus) but i feel it in my bones that this is the year for getting back on track, blog-wise & otherwise.
there have been a couple of big changes that have been stewing for months. firstly, i'm finally living in glasgow. whilst quite a bit of my stuff is still residing on the east coast (including the contents of my desk), i'm now in this city full-time. our new flat is lovely, quiet, bigger, better. we live close to big parks, transport to the city centre, a greengrocers & lots of good places to eat. i'm very excited to be somewhere new.
secondly, something that isn't full-time anymore is my day-job. i'm really happy i can still work part-time (it's a bit of a commute away) but i'm also really happy that there's more time than ever before to spend drawing, making, printing. this is something i've been dreaming about for years, & now it's time to get to work.
2012, i have high hopes for you.
today's girl face is girl face #50! i don't know how long i'll end up doing the project for but fifty feels like some sort of milestone. above is one from just over a week ago - i have my favourites & she's one of them.
prints on sale
just a note to say that my new prints were delivered early & are now on sale: botanic I, botanic II, the botanic package & the bison.
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