Create, Create, Create Together ( 3 of 3)
Another advantage to creating in a group is the opportunity to collaborate on a single project. At one point in my life I taught young artists at a small art guild. One project we did involved rolling out a long stretch of paper and having them work on their section of a landscape or city scene. It was always fun to see what each child came up with and how it added to the whole.
I noticed this approach in collaborating at the Quilt Con show in February. There were two quilts that stood out to me. The first was the Sew Euro Modern quilt which was produced by four quilters: one in Germany, Italy, Sweden and Austria. Their approach was to each sew a quarter of the quilt top so they had their own contribution to the overall look. They also divided up the stages of the quilting process: one quilter designed the pattern, another sewed the quarters together, someone was responsible for the backing or binding, etc. They didn't even have to be in the same country to create something special!
The second was a quilt from the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild. Their volunteers worked with donated fabrics and supplies- this was the "common thread"- and they each came up with 12 blocks to contribute to the whole. What struck me about their description of this process was the three c's they enjoyed: company, camaraderie and craftsmanship.
Everyone working alone, in their sewing room or painting studio or in front of the piano, where ever, might at some point reach a moment when a little jolt of inspiration would be welcomed. It seems to me that the methods these two groups used in creating their unique quilts could easily be adapted to any medium. The benefit of this kind of experience would be interaction with those who have different strengths to bring to the process, the possibility of learning something new, and stepping away from our individual pursuits to get the positive reinforcement of contributing to a separate whole. This would give a fresh perspective to come back to our little domain and take up the next project. And building great friendships is always a plus, right?
Another advantage to creating in a group is the opportunity to collaborate on a single project. At one point in my life I taught young artists at a small art guild. One project we did involved rolling out a long stretch of paper and having them work on their section of a landscape or city scene. It was always fun to see what each child came up with and how it added to the whole.
I noticed this approach in collaborating at the Quilt Con show in February. There were two quilts that stood out to me. The first was the Sew Euro Modern quilt which was produced by four quilters: one in Germany, Italy, Sweden and Austria. Their approach was to each sew a quarter of the quilt top so they had their own contribution to the overall look. They also divided up the stages of the quilting process: one quilter designed the pattern, another sewed the quarters together, someone was responsible for the backing or binding, etc. They didn't even have to be in the same country to create something special!
The second was a quilt from the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild. Their volunteers worked with donated fabrics and supplies- this was the "common thread"- and they each came up with 12 blocks to contribute to the whole. What struck me about their description of this process was the three c's they enjoyed: company, camaraderie and craftsmanship.
Everyone working alone, in their sewing room or painting studio or in front of the piano, where ever, might at some point reach a moment when a little jolt of inspiration would be welcomed. It seems to me that the methods these two groups used in creating their unique quilts could easily be adapted to any medium. The benefit of this kind of experience would be interaction with those who have different strengths to bring to the process, the possibility of learning something new, and stepping away from our individual pursuits to get the positive reinforcement of contributing to a separate whole. This would give a fresh perspective to come back to our little domain and take up the next project. And building great friendships is always a plus, right?
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