On possibly revealing too much, too soon

This little guy keeps escaping from the dogloo where he hatched. Then he can't get back in over the lip. I've been putting him back in and his moms (there are two hens in there, I don't know which one is his ma) fly at me in a very scary way. Of course, he might be a she, but he seemed like a he to me. I'd like to take more pics of the chicks, but the moms are not having it. Some farmers don't get attached to little ones or name them yet because the world is pretty precarious for someone so tiny.

I've been thinking about actually submitting some needlework to be considered for a show. I saw this call for work over at Joetta Maue's blog. Even though I'm often intimidated by the skill and vision of the fiber artists she features, why not try, right? Especially because I had this idea that fits in with the theme that I'm excited about and am going to do anyway.

And I was thinking, rather than sit here and wonder what to blog about while I'm thinking about all this stuff, why not blog about it? I love when other bloggers reveal their process, but there is this temptation to just unveil new work once it's done, as if by magic. There is this surprise of "Woah, where did that come from? S/he has been *busy*." Or at least that's how I feel. And if I include readers in this process, maybe I can get some useful feedback, or insight too. I'm in my own head way too much!

Then there's the fact that I've been criticized before for not revealing my thoughts or intent behind something I've posted online. And this project I have in mind *might* be destined to cause a little controversy, at least among people who are looking for controversy. Sometimes, it's fair to give some context, especially for a more conceptual work or when you really want your own intention to be part of the viewer's frame of reference.

Then again, maybe it's better not to reveal too much early on. Criticism of delicate, new ideas is always a buzzkill and can even be damaging. And then, if I don't get accepted into that exhibit (which is fairly likely, these types of shows seem to be very particular), then I'll wish I'd never mentioned it here. But I love Alexandra Hedberg's Art as Business series, partly because she shares her disappointments along with her successes. Then again, there are lots of other reasons artists and crafters wait until they have finished pieces to share. What if they never get done? And perhaps a strong piece should be able to piece speak for itself, without the extra baggage, and that draws the viewer into a meaning-making process yada yada.

Back and forth much? I am so often full of indecision. But in this case, I like what I'm working on so I'll definitely share the process in upcoming posts. I wanted to think about all this though because I want to know why artists share or don't share and when. Would love to know what you think.