From Idea to Artwork

by Linda of All Dunn

As a visual artist, I am always collecting ideas from the world around me.

In addition to works in progress, my studio walls are filled with notes: old toys, beautiful photographs, bird feathers, and other flotsam from city life, rusted, broken, and brought home to make me think.

I keep a large "idea book" where I assemble some of these pieces into collage, usually by color. The pages evolve over time, so they stir memories as well as new ideas.Recently I used this book to inspire a scarf I made for a customer in France. Then I took trimmings from the scarves, and added them to the related pages: So now that page will always remind me of this piece:
Of course, sometimes, especially on a hot summer's day, one just sits and thinks, as my cat is happy to remind me. Napping is good too.