City Views, Country Dreams

Good afternoon from rainy New York City.

Earlier today, as blustery breezes began to bring in thick grey clouds, I made a quick trip downtown to the Union Square Farmers Market.  It was my second trip to the market this week.

On Wednesday, I'd met my friend Elizabeth for a fruit and veg gathering session, followed up by tea, coffee and brioche and lots of chatting at a nearby cafe.

On that day I left my camera at home, but remembered to take it along with me today.

I wanted to take a few fresh flower photographs to accompany this post which is responding to a invitation from Jane of Jane's Probably Knitting.  I rarely participate in blog hops, but having seen some other folks' answers to the following questions, I thought that I would give this a try.

1.  What am I working on?

As usual, I have several projects on the go.  I've begun some sketches, playing around with various ideas that will eventually appear in this year's Christmas tea cup design.  For decades, I've been individually painting a tea cup design in watercolor for each person on my Christmas card list.

Color plays a big part in those cards, and also in whatever knitting projects I undertake.  I've almost finished a pair of socks begun ... last year, and already have lots of ideas about what color socks I want to try next.

Just today I finished another knitting project, and I will show you a picture later on in this post.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?  I don't quite know what genre my various mediums fall into.  I admire many artists from many times and places.  I usually sort of lose myself in my own work once I get going.  The rest of the world seems to fade into a far distant place.  I admit to being a fan of making things that take quite a bit of time.  

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?

I love making things.  I am intrigued by learning new techniques, and admit to having a little collection of equipment that I have not used in some years but still wish to find time to pick up again.  I learned etching, aquatint and drypoint printmaking and loved the process.  I have a spindle that could be used to spin wool.  I have a serious looking wooden handled hook that could create rugs.  

I love drawing, either with graphite or colored pencils or ink.  My oil paintings are very different from my watercolor work.  

Playing with color and texture and pattern in knitting or crocheting is endlessly entertaining and even relaxing.

I am so glad to have discovered the pleasures of writing a blog.  

Earlier this summer I was able to reduce the time spent weekly at my employer's location.  Although going out into the workplace in a dynamic city like New York is energizing and definitely helps to pay the bills, it's been grand to gain more time to explore my individual interests.

The strange thing is that I still yearn for more "free" time.  I would like to be doing some hand sewing, some embroidery, weaving, and learning much more about photography.  Developing my baking skills also interests me.  I dream of a garden.

4.  How does my writing/creating process work?

Once upon a time I made a point of keeping up with gallery and museum exhibits in New York City.  I still love to see what's going on, but now tend to equally appreciate time spent in Central Park, or browsing in yarn shops.  I have lots of books featuring favorite artists, and explaining various textile techniques.    

Daydreaming is often a starting point.  Sometimes an idea will arrive in a foggy version; sometimes I will have a much more definite notion of what I want to try.  Being a bit playful is important to me.

Last year I opened my online Foakley Arts shop on etsy.com.  I am enjoying having the shop and will soon be adding some new fair isle creations to the items already nestled there.

The Foakley Arts shop features my own designs, and each piece is a one of a kind.  

I also enjoy knitting some items for myself using patterns designed by others.  Just today I have finished the fair isle hat pictured below.

The design is called Shwook and was designed by a magnificent knitter named Hazel Tindall.  

I discovered the Shwook pattern, designed just for this October's Shetland Wool Week, via the marvelously inspirational and beautiful posts of Lori Ann Graham, lori times five.

A free download of Shwook is available via the Shetland Wool Week website.  It's a lot of fun to make.  Five colors are mingled throughout design, but you only need to handle two on any row.

I am inspired by many blog friends and have had the great pleasure to meet many of these folks in person.  The title of my own blog expresses my love for my own city views, while also having a yen for the countryside.  I wish for a garden, perhaps even a small garden.  My own city apartment's window sills do not encourage plants to have long lives.

Over the years, I have enjoyed using plants and flowers as subject matter for my painting.  As we enter into autumn and dahlias begin to appear on flower stands around New York, I thought that I would share with you all a painting I did ages ago.

Here's a close up view of part of the painting.  I am sitting on the chair shown in the picture, and the table holding the jug of flowers is the same table holding this laptop upon which I now type.

I guess that by now you all will realize that I have wandered way off topic as far to the blog hop questions.  All the same, I think that perhaps you may have learned a little more about my approach to creativity.

Old china and beautiful fruit and veg also inspire me.

I thank Jane for her kind invitation.  As Jane knows, I will not be tossing these questions to any other specific blogger.  However, if any of you all might find it intriguing to think about you own answers to the question, and to share your answers, I would love for you let me know, so that I might be sure to see what you have shared.

Meanwhile, I thank you for your visiting here, and for leaving me such interesting and kind comments.  Happy autumn to all.