{"id":11630,"date":"2024-11-14T10:18:29","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T15:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elizabethfram.com\/Blog\/?p=11630"},"modified":"2024-11-14T10:18:29","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T15:18:29","slug":"something-to-lean-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elizabethfram.com\/Blog\/something-to-lean-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Something to Lean On"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Readers,<\/p>\n

Well, here we are.
\nI’ve spent a lot of time this past week asking myself whether I should confront the elephant in the room in this post, or if it would it be more helpful to just ignore it and stick solely to art & the goings-on in my studio. As you will see if you read on, I’m going to try to straddle that line.<\/p>\n

\"Practice\"

It’s easy to have something in mind, not always so easy to manifest it. I had expected to stitch the house but soon abandoned that process for other options.<\/p><\/div>\n

I have no doubt that many of you are experiencing a similar range of emotions in the aftermath of Nov. 5th, and that you certainly don’t need to spend time wading through my personal reactions. However, I believe we all benefit from sharing coping mechanisms. This time around, I’m planning to lean into a valuable lesson learned during the turmoil of 2016-20, and will offer it here for you to take or leave, as you see fit.<\/p>\n

\"Materials\"

As the materials I use continue to expand, it’s easier to get closer to what I see in my head down on paper.<\/p><\/div>\n

One of the most reliable ways I discovered to find relief from the unrelenting angst of those years was through community and the sense of connection I found there. As one of my artist friends sagely remarked at a get-together last weekend, now is the time to strengthen our pods.<\/p>\n

\"If

If Only, detail<\/strong> \u00a92024 Elizabeth Fram<\/p><\/div>\n

Consciously seeking out and finding commonality with others is key — and all the more so now. Believing in kindness, in civility, in respecting others despite our differences and understanding that laws are the guardrails of a civilized society should be a given. But sadly, as we know all too well, it isn’t anymore. As we look to find our way, we can only control what we can control. Now is a time, as Fred Rogers<\/a> so often advised, to look for “the helpers”, people who bring light into our lives. So often that quality can be found through creative sectors.<\/p>\n

\"Swatch

Swatching is integral to every painting. I have a huge stack of small sheets like this which have no other purpose other than assuring the color on my brush is what I want to put on the paper. Even so, the end result is kind of lovely in its own right and I save them as a record of each piece.<\/p><\/div>\n

With that in mind, here are a few ongoing entities and projects that bring me hope. Some of them are local and\/or part of the Eye of the Needle<\/em> community, and some are more ubiquitous. Wherever you live, there will surely be numerous options near you.<\/p>\n