The third image in my series has been shot, making it official: this is the farthest I've ever made it toward my goal of completing a series! 

I've done loads of work for clients and made many beautiful images for the sake of creating art, but I have nothing together, nothing cohesive, to present to a gallery or for a portfolio review.

There's a long list of reasons I've not yet completed a series: 

Lack of funds

Lack of ideas

Lack of time

Nothing original to contribute

No style to really call my own

Nothing new to say

Self-doubt

Frustration 

Compared myself to others

Felt I wasn't talented enough

No one would care

What's the point?

I didnt know what my message was.

I couldn't think anymore!

I stressed over bills, mortgage, being a good mother.

How could I dare I call myself an artist?

I had no direction.

Who am I now?

I'm boring.

Everything has already been done.

I'm angry.

I'm sad.

I'm itchy.

I didn't know my own story...

Until I did. 

That list. Those feelings. That feeling of insanity. That's my now. My story, but not mine alone, and that's important to me.

To explore the idea of feeling totally consumed by the need to create, to express one's self, to have the new, best idea, I wrapped our piano, and later, my husband, in yarn. Lots and lots of yarn. 

I want a limited color palette. Here, I was making a decision about the yarn color using the tank top I used in the first shoot.

You have to start somewhere!

Adam captured me creeping around the piano. He and the boys joke that they will remember this shoot as the point at which I lost my mind.

When you decide to wrap the entire piano in yarn, you have to really commit.  

L:  There was much stooping. See the heating pad over my shoulder?                            R: Nothing is excused. Everything is consumed.

I almost felt bad doing this to him, but it really supports the concept. 

To finish the job, he spun one way, and I walked around him the other way. In the end, we were both a little delerious, dizzy and nauseous.

It's not easy living with an obsessed artist.

Next, the piano and Adam are made one by the yarn.

I asked him if he was ok like a thousand times.

Free at last! Free at last!  

L: After I cut him free.                  R: Yarn Turban + Goofy Husband

Now I have to figure out which concept to attempt next. The challenge is finding the right people to model for me.  I still can't find a little, old man who wants to ride naked on a model's back!