Because You Ask ~

Artists are often asked to explain how they create, what their process is and if they have a 'road map' in their heads before they begin?  Today I reread a statement I'd written in reply to a similar inquiry and thought I'd share it here.

"For me, working without a 'recipe' whether in the kitchen or in my studio, invigorates my experimental side. Using the cooking analogy ~ when you have cooked enough to be comfortable in the kitchen, you can read a recipe and tell if it will be bland or could use some spicing up. Eventually, what you know leads to 'original recipes' rather than following a cookbook. The same applies to my art.

I've tried to analyze my creative approach at various times in my life but see no recognizable 'formula' for how I work, which is most likely due to the wide range of media I use and the absence of a personal repeatable style. From youth I've tinkered artistically with any accessible materials ~ often discards. I remember Dad sharing his colored electrical wiring and showing me how to braid a 5-strand length of wire, or giving me his wood scraps and use of his jigsaw, hammer and nails. My top childhood gift requests were always art oriented. You get the idea... I mention this because for me, expanding my skills and knowledge through experimentation and education, have filled my 'toolbox' with multiple abilities and the confidence to use them.

The ability to create something from nothing is actually more inspirational for me than starting from a blank piece of paper and pencil, although I've done both as need and mood dictate. If one method of kick starting me doesn't work, I try another. Sometimes my ideas begin from doodles, or photos, or a word and sometimes I just peruse my art quilt books or get online for ideas. I seldom toss failures or scraps away and if you keep like items organized and handy you are more likely to use them. (skip hiding them in the sock and pj drawer) lol

"Interwoven Through The Ages" by Judy Wedemeyer (12" square)

With my Interwoven piece I invested 90% of my time in the cogitative state. I do feel it's significant to ask yourself what you want to achieve before you begin and from there, what materials and colors might work that will reinforce your ideas. Most importantly, I've discovered that I must remain flexible in my approach, letting each step dictate what the next could be to improve the piece, and asking myself if I am adhering to the basic art 'rules' of successful design ~ contrast, line, color, balance, etc.

When creative constipation occurs I deliberately step away from my studio and get my brain entirely off the project. A fresh view may speak volumes and open a floodgate of ideas."

I hope I've answered your question to some degree and would love to hear how the rest of you navigate your art quilt design process.

2012 Sketchbook Challenge

Last night I stumbled upon the 2012 Sketchbook Challenge on a fellow artists blog and felt like I'd slipped down Alice's rabbit hole to find a personalized creative opportunity flashing at me like a neon sign on a pitch black night.  I'll explain...

With the best of intentions, I'd planned to journal fabric art techniques on a weekly basis last year. Well, that never materialized (no pun intended), but hope was reborn after reading about this wonderful art journal challenge offered Internationally and Free to all those interested in regularly journaling with their chosen art mediums.  The rules are enticingly simple, relatively unrestrictive, and perfectly adaptable to anyone's personal goals and interests.

At last I can link my art journal goals with like minded people across the globe, be inspired by others and share my own experiences with a larger audience.  An added bonus is a free monthly prize drawing for everyone who posts ONE challenge piece to the Flickr group connected to the Sketchbook Challenge.  The internet is such a marvelous gift when used to benefit the masses!

So here is my first submission as a member of the 2012 Sketchbook Challenge.

SAQA Doodle

The theme for January is Doodling and it just so happens that I had been exploring pen and ink doodling last year and just this past week at our SAQA Alaska Regional meeting, I doodled this design on film transparency which I then burned into a EZScreenPrint screen using a friends YUDU machine.  More about that session in a future post.

The doodle was screen printed with a rust colored fabric paint onto a commercial batik fabric background.  This is not a finished piece ~ just an experiment with surface and fabric art design techniques.  Most likely it will end up in a finished piece at some point in time since I seldom discard anything.

This post is all about sharing my latest art related commitment for 2012 and spreading the word to others who may be interested in accepting this Sketchbook Challenge for themselves.  Currently my posting and art activity is a bit erratic as I sort out my schedule this month, but one way or the other, it will all get recorded here on my blog and specific progress will be grouped according to Labels in the sidebar.

Works in Progress...

Hopefully everyone has enjoyed their holiday events this past month and is looking forward to a new year and all the opportunities that come with it.  My two Block of the Month quilt tops I participated in this year are almost finished.  For those of you who don't know what that is... each calendar month a new block is pieced and at years end there are 12 finished blocks which are enough for a lap or bed sized quilt depending on how you sew it together.  I'd never done BOM's before so I enrolled for two colorways of the same project at a local quilt shop. If I didn't make a concerted effort to complete them this month  I knew they would sit in a drawer half done for heaven knows how long.

Next I'll put the blocks together on my friend Kathy's king sized Yellow Brick Road quilt top so I can clear the studio of that project.  I'm also committed to make a doll sized quilt for our guilds annual Teddy Bear Tea in February.   Those quilts are matched with Teddy's and other stuffed animals, then divided among five or six child related social networks for children in need, homeless, abuse etc.  My final commitment is creating a recycled art piece for the Salvation Army's Trash to Treasure silent auction which benefits several community non-profit organizations locally.  I've not previously participated in this event but it falls right in line with my recycling and charity donations so I'm looking forward to it.  More later.

An unexpected but welcomed surprise arrived in the mail recently from Friends of Pets.  This was my first time participating in their annual fund raising silent auction.  My cat quilt was the last entry for this year but took First Place People's Choice Award for Favorite Cat Theme.  In addition I received a $50. gift card from Seams Like Home - the local quilt shop I just finished my two BOM quilts from.  Best of all, I was able to combine my gift card and a quilt shop coupon for 25% off my entire purchase, to get some wonderful gifts for myself.  Ha!  Finally I have a Walking Foot for my Bernina sewing machine among other goodies.

Photos of all these projects to follow.  Just wanted to let everyone know I'm still here and happily getting acquainted with my new computer more each day.  Be back soon.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Journal Quilts 2009

Creativity is its own driving force. Have you ever pursued one direction only to veer off your intended path? I love it when that happens! I'm not forcing the process. These 'bunny trails' often lead to the best artistic destinations. Happy accidents of discovery, ideas, techniques and materials flow when I deliberately let go of a mind set and ask myself "what if...?" and then start playing. For some time now I've been considering Journal Quilting to set myself up for just such occasions.
In pursuit of lofty 2009 art quilt goals, I replaced my morning espresso & emails with espresso & art quilt reading. This mornings book The Uncommon Quilter by Jeanne Williamson really set me on fire and all I had read was the Foreword by Karey Bresenhan (Author of Creative Quilting: The Journal Quilt Project and Jeanne's Introduction. Jeanne confirms what I have experienced firsthand in the following statement:

"Whether you're an experienced quilter, a beginning sewer, or a creative artist looking for a new medium, its always important to experiment with new ideas, techniques, and materials.
The more artwork you create, the more you grow and the stronger your work will become."

The Uncommon Quilter marries traditional quilting techniques with unusual materials such as plastic, paper, surface design and fibers. YES! this perks the mixed-media artist in me to full attention. So tonight after an evening of playing with my felting/embellisher I made a commitment to begin Journal Quilting and the book I am going to jump start with is one called Pillows: Designer Techniques by Christopher Nejman. I chose this book because of its 15 different and very attractive projects using felting, cording, beading, etc.etc.etc... I'm not making the pillows, just learning techniques.

Jeanne Williamson's Guidelines (in case you want to try this yourself)
1) Create one small quilt per week.
2) Size 8" x 10"
(she kept hers vertical but I will be flexible with mine)
3) No discarding original piece to start over if you don't like it.
4) No obsessing over aesthetics of the piece. (the goal is to create)
5) No limits on what techniques I choose.
(limit the number of choices so designs remain focused while mastery of method is achieved.
6) Each quilt's recorded information is on the back:
(dated, numbered, and annotated with what was happening in my life or what the quilt is about)

Jeanne's book is based on 365 quilts she made in 7 consecutive years. I'll do well to tackle one year! But if I continue Journal Quilting, I'll set new rules or sizes to stretch myself artistically. Any Journal Quilter's reading this? I'd love to hear about your experiences.