One of the more interesting aspects of being self-directed is that I often don’t know when to stop.
This is a laylight in progress for a home outside of Washington, DC. A laylight is an indoor skylight that allows for artificial lighting.
As I work through this maze of uncertainty, I’m constantly laying the window flat to arrange the leaves before attaching them with UV adhesive and then repositioning the window in a vertical position for evaluation. My shop isn’t tall enough for me to position it horizontally for viewing.
As I build the forest tree tops by adding more and more leaves, I strive for balance as well as an interesting effect.
There isn’t a master plan, some old-world painting, no one standing over my shoulder. It’s just me, surrounded by plastic containers of leaves made over time and sunlight pouring through my shop’s door.
One hour, it nears completion; the next, it is lacking something.
A rhythm develops over time. Some call it flow. It is as if my mind is aligned with the task and takes over my conscious input, leaving me with a peaceful feeling that my whole being is involved and an exceptional work of art is finally coming into existence.