ap·prox·i·mate (-prks-mt)
adj.
1. Almost exact or correct: the approximate time of the accident.
2. Very similar; closely resembling: sketched an approximate likeness of the suspect.
3. Botany: Close together but not united.
v. (-mt) ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing, ap·prox·i·mates
v.tr.
1. To come close to; be nearly the same as: This meat substitute approximates the real thing.
2. To bring near.
3. To bring together, as cut edges of tissue.
v.intr.
To come near or close, as in degree, nature, or quality.
(Bolded above, my emphasis, my meanings.)
Yes, it’s the weekly “Art, Fear and Permission” entry. (And by the way, the book itself is “Art and Fear”: i’ve added the “permission” part for my own benefit.)
Every time i complete a piece i am unsure where to go next. Oh, i have a vague idea, as the series is compelling my psyche to explore it further, but actually putting it to the needle and drawing the thread through is another matter. I’ll not shy from the actual (hard) work of creation, but i sometimes have to approximate it, before i leap into the, ahem, fray (couldn’t resist, narf, “resist” narf). I’m building a big stack of sampling bits, ugly as hell, but with intent and desire to go with what i know, have forgotten and yet to learn, with my spin. Sketching is useful, and one thing, but actual texture and hand are motivating!
To that end, i stacked and strung, wound over and slapped various bits of fabric, cording and thread this morning, and after all the awful approximating–which is really “auditioning” as we textile artists call it 
—-
yuck
Well, THAT didn’t turn my crank! It may have some applications in the future, but is not inspiring or exciting enough yet for me to see beyond this stage.
Since i had the hand out, i thought of other anatomy work and dug around for other fabrics and an unfinished body part that has been nagging at me from the design wall for a good while:
YES!
A wee bit bland on the left, but with an underlayer of orange/yellow/blue batik, it warms up—see the trees and roots, arteries and nerve endings, maps? The figure was done last October of thread sketching over melted synthetic batting. It’s going to be a bitch to get the needles through that part, but i like the way this one is shaping up in my head. May even drag out some old techniques like foiling or stamping or something……
Oh, and i have to share a link i found on the QA list this morning that i am ecstatic about! I have a fair number of books now on anatomy, but different angles has always been a problem: check this site out! Pose Maniacs.
