Searching for Creativity

Searching...
I have been searching and searching. Searching for silk paints and silk, my media of choice. My hand wants to hold a brush, not a mouse, not a pen, but the freedom of a brush. I want to be in that place where my mind lets go and the bristles of the brush glide along the fabric creating beautifully colored shapes. It is not that I can not find silk paints...its just that they are in tiny bottles and are hobby silk paints. Their colors are dull and uninspiring.

I have been searching and searching and have not had very much luck. During my Frankfurt trip in January I meet another silk painter who shared with me the name and number of a women who sells professional silk painting supplies. With great excitement I visited her office on Monday evening. She showed me silk paints that had colors I have never seen available and in 1 liter containers! The colors shouted at me to buy buy buy! And then the silk came out and I would have to buy 11 meters (12 yards) no problem I thought, I use to buy 25 yards at a time!

And then the cost...

USA Prices
Silk paints: 250 ml for $8
Silk fabric: 1 yards $6

Hungary Prices
Silk Paints: 250 ml for $10
Silk fabric: 1 yards $32

My mouth fell open and out came..."oh". The women said I had very good taste in silk...I told her the price I paid in the USA and she said..."oh".

I left her office empty handed. I just can not bring myself to pay $32 a yard for silk that I use to pay $6.

Discovering...
When I was in Estonia at Christmas I expressed my frustrations of limited silk painting supplies to Anu Raud (an Estonian textile designer). She suggested that this could be an interesting time for me. A time to use what is available and maybe see a change in my art...maybe some creative growth.

A few years ago, I inherited my mothers oil paints and brushes. They were one of the few things I brought with me to Hungary. They have been sitting in a box patiently waiting for me... Now is the time.

I have in my possession more oil paints than I know what to do with it. And the brushes I own have been well loved by my favorite artist. So, with butterflies in my stomach I will start to paint...with oils.