Creative Life Sampler

  Rock Form (Porthcurno) by Barbara Hepworth Took the opportunity to visit the Norton Simon Museum in Pasedena recently, and it was well worth the trip!  This museum appears to be tucked away in a lush environment as you drive up the hill to park, (which is free. Refreshing!) The first impression one might get is that it is a relatively modest structure but the walk into the building is lined with quite a few sculptures by Rodin and other artists. This is a hint at the surprisingly extensive collection of the luminaries of art in the Norton Simon Museum.     We opted to begin our visit in the sculpture garden. King and Queen by Henry Moore Moving inside, we found multiple pieces of art from very familiar names as well as a healthy sampling of work that spanned history. From Rembrandt van Rijn, to Degas, to Picasso, to Helen Frankenthaler, and more, this collection has something to suit everyone's taste. But let me highlight a few pieces that stood out to me, in the hopes of sparkin

I'm excited to share the news that my work, (& I) are featured in the "Latest Stories" section on the Create Whimsy website,  https://createwhimsy.com/ . It was such a joy to collaborate with Create Whimsy founder, Lynn Woll on this project. She had great, thought provoking questions for my interview!  It was especially meaningful to be asked about my personal philosophy on my work and to promote handwork in the realm of quilting. (It's not every day someone asks you for the best advice you've ever gotten!) Check it out with this link: https://createwhimsy.com/projects/spotlight-lauren-klementz-harte-modern-quilt-artist/   But don't stop there! You'll want to explore this resource. Create Whimsey is a cool website that gives a platform to artisans in many different mediums and also has tutorials, project ideas, free quilt patterns, just so much for the person who loves to be creative! Many thanks to Create Whimsy for the opportunity to contribute to th

Textured Terrain  ( 50 x 64.5 inches) My latest quilt has been a long time in completing, but not for lack of trying! The color palette on this piece may seem familiar to regular readers. The shapes of this improv. quilt are the scraps that were cut away from previous projects. The composition grew organically when they were arranged to create new shapes on a hand dyed length of fabric that is a washy blend of orange, sepias, and reds, with a dash of black.  I acquired that piece of fabric, along with several others, from a talented quilter and colorist who decided to move on to other pursuits. This has been a source of inspiration as I look for ways to incorporate these fabrics in some of my work. She was also the source of a stash of embroidery thread, meticulously sorted. With her color selection in hand, I'm motivated to explore to new color combinations in future projects. So, when it came time to quilt this project, I had a wonderful rainbow of choices. Because there is such

In February, I was in Raleigh, NC for the whirlwind week of the Modern Quilt Guild's annual show, QuiltCon.  This is the third year I have been able to see my work hanging along side the work of talented quilters from around the world. But this is the very first time I can share that I won a ribbon! My "Ghana Batik Study" took second place in the Handwork category.  This was such a surreal experience!! QuiltCon 2024 kicked off with the award ceremony streaming live on Wednesday evening. Family who couldn't make the trip were able to watch the proceedings from home, and "quilty" friends from my modern quilt guild were there to cheer me on. To be honest, I'm not generally comfortable with the spotlight, but I was filled with a warm sense of gratitude for being recognized in this way.  The convention floor: quilt show (left) keynote speaker/special exhibits (center) vendors (right) The next morning I was eager to get to the show. In the past, I've enjoy

  Total for 2023: Nine hand appliqu é d/reverse appliqu é d and hand quilted pieces Well, it's been yonks since I've taken the time to write, but this is a good moment to be a bit reflective about the work that I created last year.  Assess the successes and learn from any mistake,- no, not "mistake," . . . diversion? redirection? 2023 started with a continuation of my focus on designing compositions with segments of the cropped letter "Q." This has proven to be a fertile theme to pursue. Ideas on how to manipulate the designs and options for their execution came faster than I could make them a reality.  But this line of exploration was not without its detractors. More than once someone suggested that maybe I should "try something else." This suggestion from well meaning supporters begs the question: "Why do we create?" To satisfy an audience or to give voice to our own individuality? It might have gotten in my head but for the fact that

Applique Improv #4 This piece started out with leftover cutouts from a previous appliqué project arranged on a small length of batik fabric: These improv pieces kind of develop organically.  The batik fabric was cut away from the back of the appliquéd areas and those cut outs were arranged on another strip of fabric, and so on, until the right size came into view. In this case the final piece measures 43.5 x 42.5 inches.- almost square. Here's a detail of the hand quilting; a combination of seed stitching and echo quilting:   I already have a new piece laid out on the bedroom floor.  (I better get to it, before it gets stepped on.)  Guess you know what I'll be doing New Years Eve!   😉