Creative Life Sampler

Gathered my supplies for a new project Ventura Modern Quilt Guild's 100 day challenge started this week! Members are carving out 100 days to take on something of our own choosing and are encouraged to share our progress as we go. This collective project was inspired by our February speaker, Shannon Fraser, ( https://shannonfraserdesigns.ca/ ). The idea is that each day we set aside a minimum of 5 minutes to work on something "quilty," anything that supports our creative journey with quilting.  That could include setting a goal to organize and clean up work spaces in preparation for future projects. Five minutes a day over 100 days is certainly long enough to go through a fabric stash, organize tools, and create an inviting, comfortable space that adds to the joy of the work. With everything in place, who wouldn't be encouraged to finish a project or two before the last day?   Some people may choose to complete a stack of WIPs, (work in progress). Others might decide t...

Mosaic mural outside the Phoenix Convention Center- great inspiration for a modern quilt! It's time to add to my collection of gems in what I call my Blank Canvas Series.  I love to see creativity where you might not expect it and I'm so inspired by the human impulse to create, and beautify the world, - to "make one's mark."  This creativity can be found at the beach, on a mountain, in the desert, and especially on the streets in any city. Where people see an empty space, they see a blank canvas and an opportunity to express themselves. The results can be really inspiring.   The streets of Phoenix are vibrant with art work that reflect the creative voices of its residents. The visitor is sure to find something that speaks to them, whether it's a mural painted in a realistic style, something that presents a modern perspective, an illustrative childlike approach, or bold graphics messages. There's so much to take in! On main streets and in alley ways, there ...

  Idea Crystalizing This second wall hanging in my "Q is for Quilt" series, - just finished! For this piece, I wanted to give the feeling of an idea coming to life through the creative process. My inspiration came from a picture I took as I was starting my "Scrambled Q's" quilt. I really liked the shapes that emerged in those early days of reverse appliqué, but I didn't want to stop before the original idea for that quilt was realized. I decided instead to revisit those shapes in a new quilt. That was the plan. But as this project moved forward, I began to feel the golden color had taken over the composition. I decided to introduce a third color and the piece took on new meaning. Instead of documenting a moment in the reverse appliqué process, it became an active comment on how an idea solidifies.  In the top left corner, the "Q" is completely white, a hint at an idea. By the time the eye wanders down to the bottom edge, the shapes have taken form ...

Lobby of phoenix Art Museum One of the joys of visiting a new city is checking out their museums. When we were in Phoenix recently we took the time to drop in at the Phoenix Art Museum.  Our visit happened to coincide with an exhibit of a fun, nostalgic look at a fashion trend from the 1960's: disposable garments. In the late 60's Dupont produced a new paper-like material called Reemay® made of polyester filaments which could be stitched like fabric and was printed in bold pattern and color. It seems to have been ideally suited to the fashion of that era. Left: Wearing your politics (Romney & Nixon dresses)  Right: Strong graphic images make a statement  As we were walking through the exhibit, I overheard two women talking about owning one of these garments. It was quite a fad, although, I would guess it was relatively short lived. It certainly wouldn't fly with the more sustainability and environmentally conscious consumer of today.  The collection of works by J...