Looking back on my life as an artist, there is a continuation of style.  I think that moving from one media to another you never really change the direction of your work. I have moved from painting to printmaking, and then to many years as a ceramic artist and then to a fiber artist. My old computer died. I have been looking through  the files and deciding what I want to save to the new one.  I am finding a surprise in each file.  Looking back is giving me a new perspective on the direction I want to move in the future.

Here is an example of a design that I created in clay in the 1990's.  I had forgotten this plate until a friend posted it on line. I have been really lazy about documenting my work. It is important to do this.  It so resembles a traditional quilt pattern with the grids and repetition of pattern.  It was done years before I started working with fiber and designing wall pieces.  I don't have many photos of older work. Below is an example of what I was working on a few years ago.

It's just interesting, that's all.  I think if you look at any artist that has been working for many decades in the art field you will see a pattern in their lives.  Betty Woodman comes to mind right away.  Judith Trager also.  An artist's brain never shuts down. I find that I am always thinking in color, pattern, composition even while I am asleep.  I don't like to give advice to other artists because I have no idea what is in their heads.  When I taught art in elementary  school my advice was for each student to look into the world that they lived in and come up with an idea and follow it through.  I had tables of various materials for them to work with. I said, go to the material you want to work on. I have no one at my home studio to tell me what to make.  The best work will come from your own ideas.  As far as all the "rules" of art....I feel that there aren't any.  Create with your guts.  Who knows where that RED should go or what color the sky should be.  Working in a series will train yourself better that anything I know of. I feel you cannot get one idea down in one piece. It may take 10 or 100. Keep pushing the boundaries. Good work will come.