Gift Giving for the Artisan in Your Life

Creative Problem Solving

Bosch Laser Square GTL2

Anyone in a position to observe a creative person in their natural habitat gradually becomes acquainted with the tools they employ, the terms they use, their work habits and their joy in creating. It would be natural to assume that, if an artist is continuously creating, they have "all the bases covered," and it's better to steer clear of this area when it comes to gift giving. But the gift giver has an opportunity to use their own creativity to think outside the confines of what is comfortable and familiar to the artist, to bring a fresh perspective, and find something special for the artisan in their life.

Start with asking two simple questions: 

                 1) What is your favorite part of your creative process? 

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                 2) What is your least favorite part of creating?

With that information in hand, you can begin to think about either enhancing their creative experience and workplace, or solving a problem in the creative process by bringing your own real world knowledge to bear.

I will give you a personal example. Many a quilt has been set aside after the piece has been completely quilted for my dread of the next step. The quilt needs only to be squared off so it can be finished with a binding; it is my least favorite step. Frequently the raw edges are uneven after quilting and it is challenging to straighten the edges and still get a nice right angle at the corners; it can be time consuming and frustrating. 

Enter my quilt buddy, who shared a find at a guild meeting in the fall: the Bosch Laser Level & Square GTL2. It has been a game changer. I kid you not, when this was delivered I fairly did a jig in the entry way I was so excited at the prospect of making this step in quilting easier. And it has not disappointed. I've already used it to finish off four quilts, one of which had been taunting me from the banister where is was draped for months. 

The point is it took a different perspective to solve a glitch in the process of quilting. This is a tool generally used in a variety of construction situations including tile placement for precise gridding and 45 degree angles. Now it squares off quilts! The solution to this problem was to break down the issue to its fundamental challenge which had already been solved in another area of expertise. Brilliant.

So whether you're looking for a tool to improve the product, an experience to stimulate the imagination, or to just make life easier in the workspace, do some cross pollinating of ideas, be creative. You might get a happy dance from the the creative person in your life.