Creative Life Sampler

A Peak in the Linen Closet Through the years I've tried a good many quilt patterns, which means we have a good many quilts. My husband is fond of gently reminding me that we do live in a climate where so many quilts are not really necessary... but that's not the point of creating them. A full closet means we can rotate the quilts from time to time to match the season or mood, and our kids have even been known to select a quilt to please an overnight visitor. One of my kids even suggested the title and theme of this post. I hope you think it's a fun idea. Since we are going into spring and Easter is this weekend, I chose this quilt, which was created in 2000, for its colors. The pattern is from the first quilting book I ever purchased; Quilting for People Who Don't Have Time to Quilt by Marti Michell. This book opened up a whole new world by introducing rotary cutting to me and making the process easier than cutting fabric with shears. (see footnote) (A signa...

to create - ( verb ) to  bring, cause or call into being or existence,                                        make,                             produce,                             form,                             perform,                             originate,                             generate,                             construct,                            ...

Pretty cool, huh? These pictures were taken on a beach walk along the Ventura County shoreline here in So. Cal. Amazing that, in this spot, maybe on a vacation day with only a beach towel in hand and the most basic of materials, we find people creating. Guess everyone has an impulse to leave their mark, whether it's a simple, elementary construction or a sophisticated structure... ...and it doesn't really matter that in this environment it may only be temporary.

Mixed Media (Does anyone else see a question mark here?)

(The heart shaped rock in the background on the left is balanced on its point) (A community of rock sculptures)

And he/she will create

Give a  person a canvas… And the materials...

This is a tree outside the convention center in Pasadena,  where Quilt Con was held.  It just keeps branching out, guys.  It just naturally keeps growing. There it stands inspiring us to do the same.

From One of You    (7 of 7) While I was searching for a way to sum up this narrative on quilt shows, one of you posted a comment on the first installment which resonated with me… “…No defeat, just continued participation and having tons of fun while doing it!!! Go team!” It got me thinking that a bump in the road, or a setback, can only be defined as a defeat if it stops you from moving forward. If you refuse to move past an obstacle in your path, then you really are defeated, aren’t you? If you choose instead to get something positive out of every situation, to learn from it, then you’re promoting your own growth. That applies to being creative, just as much as it does to life in general. What is especially appealing about the comment above is its tone. I loved the spontaneity and enthusiasm in it. Somehow it expressed the feelings I’ve been wanting to convey with this blog. Joy in the process of creating. Encouragement for everyone that is looking to be more ...

Inspiration in all directions    (6 of 7) Before moving on, I want to add that there are many ways to get your inspiration juices flowing at a quilt show, (or actually anywhere where like-minded individuals gather to celebrate their craft). It can come in unexpected ways; a casual conversation as you stand admiring an entry with a perfect stranger, the explanation or instruction shared by a volunteer, the joyful collective discovery of an overlooked element or hidden message from the quilter. These little connections provide germs of ideas to stow away for future projects. There are workshops and talks offered to help refine a skill or learn a new one. (on my "to do" list, some day, maybe) And then there’s the vendors.  Rows of stalls with new gadgets to simplify the processes, stalls of cotton/wool/flannel/silk, stalls with themes for the folk artist, vintage enthusiast, modern quilter,- whatever your style is, stalls with rainbows o...

Non-Competition Displays    (5 of 7) At larger quilt shows you can also find quilts from collections or displays that feature a specific artist. These can give you some idea of the history of quilting or even the impact that quilting can make on society. This year Quilt Con hosted a very large display of panels that represented a portion of the Aids Memorial Quilt, the 54-ton quilt commemorating aids victims, first displayed on the National Mall in October 1987. I think I can safely share photos of this poignant exhibit. Keep in mind this was just 6 panels, one on each side of three rows. Then try to envision the entire National Mall covered in fabric! Pretty effective, right? (If you’re interested in viewing this in person, you can find a schedule of appearances at http://www.aidsquilt.org/view-the-quilt/display-schedule )

Photography at Shows    (4 of 7) Maybe a good gauge of what appeals to you is your cell phone (or camera). My photo stream contains quite a lot of favorites from the first show. But I will add that I made sure to completely charge my cell before the second show and it went dead just before we got ready to leave, so… I would love to be able to post some quilts, but I didn’t think ahead to get contact information in order to ask permission (see footnote). I'll just give you my impressions. My take away from the first show was an emphasis on process and skills. There is some amazing work being done in piecing fabrics (creating the top with the cut fabric in traditional patterns, original designs, or a combination of both) and quilting (the stitching which tacks the top to the batting, or middle, and the backing). This is stuff that inspires one to push the limits of the medium. By contrast, the focus was on modern or abstract style in the second show. Along with...

Quilt Shows All Over    (3 of 7) People make pilgrimages to these really big shows. Like hotel reservations and going back to see more the next day visits. It’s crowded. It’s a lot to absorb. It’s inspiring. While we were at Road to CA, we got to talking to a vendor who recommended another quilt show, scheduled for the following month. When he shared that even the attendees at Quilt Con were different from those at Road to CA, our curiosity was peaked. Naturally, we had to go. Quilt Con is put together by The Modern Art Quilt Guild. He was right, it has a very different feeling to it. It’s like comparing the collections in The Museum of Modern Art to the art work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which covers a broader spectrum of periods and art movements. If you only had one day in New York to visit an art museum, you would make a choice based on your personal tastes and what resonates with you. Just so with these two shows, you might find one or the other ...

Fact Gathering and Perspective   (2 of 7) I decided to do some reconnaissance. In January, quilting buddy Sara and I went to see Road to California, which takes place in Ontario California every year. I had been to the 2017 show, but this time I was looking at it from a different perspective. Instead of going to check out some quilts, I was going as someone who had invested themselves in the show, even if I hadn't been accepted. There were no hard feelings, no resentment, just the goal of looking objectively and an interest in learning more. Let me say up front they made the right call. I couldn’t see where my two quilts would have fit in either. After my submissions, I have no doubt the entry numbers continued to increase, up to the deadline. The work came from across the country and around the world. It represented a wide variety of approaches to quilting.  As I thought about the shear number of quilts, the magnitude of the task of reviewing all those entries hit me...

Need Much Validation?    (1 of 7) It was a joy to send out the first three quilts of my necktie tribute series to my family and I was pretty pleased with the last two wall hangings. They had a few features I hadn’t seen in my limited exposure to quilt shows. I began to cherish visions of grandeur.  As my blogging plans began to gel, I thought “Wouldn’t it be cool if I could add a post that my work was accepted in a quilt show?” Mind you, I wasn't expecting any awards, I just thought it would be nice to be accepted. Then I could share the news in the spirit of “it’s an honor just to be considered”. And just one, it didn’t have to be both. With the philosophy of many a competitor to “Go big or go home”, I naively chose the annual Road to California. I gathered together photos of the quilts, crafted some witty description blurbs, and sat down to enter these two quilts in my first juried show. When I filled out the last of the info and officially entered, I rece...