Creative Life Sampler

"In these times there is a powerful demarcation between the surface and the deep currents of human development. Events and upheavals, which seem more profound than they really are, are happening on the surface. But there is another and deeper change in progress. It is a long, steady persistent growth, very little affected and not at all disturbed by surface conditions. The artist of today should be alive to this deeper evolution on which all growth depends, has depended and will depend." Robert Henri, The Art Spirit ( originally published 1923 ) This year I'm adopting the "Dry January" theme and applying it to my use of technology. How much unproductive time I've been wasting with it! Only a few days in, but I've put aside  iPad  games and am staying up to date on news through headlines or occasional articles rather than gathering information that will be out of date in the next 24 hour news cycle. (Perhaps that's why this quote seemed to strike a c...

Here we are closing out August and I find once again that writing has taken a back seat to creating! I have been working diligently to finish these two pieces this summer in order to meet a juried show deadline. I would love to share more about them but I will wait to see if either one is juried in before any big reveals. Suffice it to say that they are direct opposites in terms of color palette and they're both an expansion of my experiments with improvised appliqu é  work. To be honest, I didn't realize how long it had been since I'd written anything. I've been so focused on quilting. Now it feels like I've neglected a responsibility in not keeping up with posting. And that has given me something to ponder.  At this point, we all know that social media can be a big attention hog, whether you're consuming it or actively contributing to it. Blogging, Instagram, all these wonderful tools are great vehicles to share our work. But keeping them fueled for the viewer...

  There is so much to visually take in when you're surrounded by the natural beauty at The Huntington! Whether you soak in the vibrant colors and incredible textures of the many floral species, . . .  Or you pull back to absorb the magnificent collective textures created in the various themed gardens like the bamboo forest: or the cactus garden: There are also subtle color palettes created in garden displays that include a variety of plants: And then there are the man made textures that are thoughtfully scattered throughout the gardens: Plenty of inspiration for, say, quilt textures, and color choices; even shapes and design elements to borrow for future projects.

It seems amazing to me that it's over a month since I had the privilege of delivering a trunk show and giving a workshop at the Camarillo Quilt Association! It feels so recent because I'm still riding high on the experience.  The first day was their regular members' meeting where I was guest speaker and presented my work to a very attentive audience.  The following day was my 6 hour workshop. I could tell from the start that this was going to be an dynamic, positive class. The creative energy increased with every person that entered the room that morning. They arrived ready to work and excited to experiment, . . every teacher's dream!  The focus of our class was hand work. Students came with a prepared mini quilt; batting sandwiched between a solid colored top and the backing of their choice. This would become a sampler of stitches, a practice piece where they could experiment with the blanket stitch, seed stitch, rice grain (or dot) stitch and more.  My goal in...

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...

New Year, New Projects? So here we are, in the second week of January, and I haven't created anything since mid December.  My hands are itching to get back to work, but I've been having a hard time focusing to start a new project. No problem with planning new projects. I've made a couple of trips to the quilt shop for some fun colors, and even thought of titles for each project, (LOL). And it's not like I don't already have quilts in various stages of completion that could be finished up. I just need to get past that first hesitancy, the commitment to start.    In searching for a way to describe this state of mind, the term "activation barrier" came to thought. I want to be accurate, . . . and I was kind of curious about where it came from, . . . plus it would help me procrastinate on this issue.  Yep, a Google search was in order. It turns out this is a term used in chemistry. As defined by  https://chem.libretexts.org .: " An  activation barrier ...

Through the Cell Phone Lense I've written often about being inspired by the world around us and photographing things that "speak to me" to capture them for future inspiration in my work. But you may wonder what that really means.  If I'm working in fabrics, thread, and batting, how does a picture of, say, a crab on an east coast beach inspire a quilt? Short of attempting to replicate the picture in fabric, what could possibly inspire a new quilt? Set aside the "beach, sun, and surf " theme that influences many artists. This picture of a common sight at the beach can take us in many directions.  Let's take a look. First, the overall composition in this highly cropped photo might be a new layout idea. Lines that loosely follow the crab silhouette could be an interesting starting point for new color blocking or even inspire a block unit:  A closer look at the colors in this photo, which include a range of browns, grays, creams, and purples, might prompt exp...

Documenting New Inspiration It's been quite a while since I've been able to post anything about travel. So it was really a welcome experience to take a recent trip to the east coast.  One of our destinations was Colonial Williamsburg, a "living-history museum" in  southern Virginia. I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to explore this unique environment and take some pictures that document things I might want to use as a starting point for future projects.   Several months ago I started an Instagram account and I have been so impressed by the creativity that is shared on this platform. It is exciting to show my own work, to see the creativity of people from around the world, . . . and to be inspired by it!  At one point I crossed paths with Hyuna Kim, a Korean quilter and textile designer who has been posting studies of doors in fabric. (See quilt_hyuna on Instagram to check out her work.) If it hadn't been for her posts, I wouldn't have been tuned in t...

 Letters in a Different Medium Initials created with plastic beaded necklaces  Today is the start of the legendary New Orleans tradition- Mardi Gras. One of the features of this celebration are the family friendly parades, which include elaborate floats and colorful, imaginative costumes. Participants throw beads, and other items, to the spectators along the route as they march and perform. It's a vibrant atmosphere.  Unfortunately, Mardi Gras will look very different this season, festivities have been pared down considerably to meet the demands of the moment. This is a shout out to all the undaunted, creative people of New Orleans who put so much time and effort into this celebration in the best of times and who are calling upon that creative energy to rethink the celebration for 2021. I'm reminded of a project from a few years back that was inspired by New Orleans. We used old plastic beaded necklaces to create initials. The beads were hot glued to sturdy foam board and...

Exploring Color Options Recently, after finishing a couple of small projects with the same color palette, I got to thinking about color choices and how it is often the easiest and most comfortable choice to stick with what is familiar to us. But that can feel uninspired at times and we search around for fresh color combinations.  What can be done to break out of the hum drum of our color habits? One option is to take advantage of the tools at our fingertips. Often technology has a way of distilling information through its unprejudiced, engineered, and standardized processes that is different than the average person would process that same information. This can lead to a fresh perspective for its users. For instance, in the early 1800's the introduction of photography caused quite a stir in the artworld. Images captured through the rectangular frame of the camera lense inspired artists to look at things with a different eye. The result was a new approach to composition and the treat...

Companion Creations   (2 of 2) Ordinarily, as Christmas approaches I begin to prioritize my "to do" list in an attempt to simplify life and maintain my equilibrium. Adding a last minute project would be vetoed immediately. But 2020 is not an ordinary year.  With the family unit all together, no holiday gatherings or festivities to fill the calendar, and one sweatshirt well under way, it was inevitable that a second "ugly Christmas" sweatshirt would follow. Another imaginative family member did a quick sketch which became a reality.     We made a few adjustments to this sketch. The squirrel was placed on the ground, silhouetted against the white of the snowman to show off his furry tail and make more space for the scarf. We also flipped this design so the two snowmen would face each other if/when they are worn side-by-side.   These two snowmen are a reflection of the personalities that envisioned them. I imagine they may be modified or embellished in fu...

Creating Your Version of the "Ugly Christmas Sweater" (1 of 2)   Original quick sketch for this project. An obvious consequence of adhering to stay at home orders is we're all together,... all the time. Right now, many people aren't commuting to work. They plow through assignments without distraction from co-workers, and don't have to dry clean work cloths or feel compelled to run other minor, non-essential errands. It turns out there's a lot more time in the day to be creative.  And holidays inspire one to create.  If you hadn't noticed, the 80's vintage "Ugly Christmas Sweaters" have become very popular again as people update and add their own twist to this garment in fun, amazing ways. Recently, in anticipation of a Zoom meeting with this theme, one of our kids was inspired to make one. She sketched out an idea and we got to work together to make this vision a reality.       After gathering supplies and tools: sturdy fabric scissors, an i...

Creative Process: Slow or Fast? I'm always on the lookout for quotes that speak to creative people in all sorts of disciplines, so I thought I'd share this one with you:  "Without totally insulating themselves against everyday matters, many quilters state that the quilting process itself is an aid in setting one's pace, offering social and communal contacts, and developing respect for oneself and for others. Quilters are learning through practice that creativity is best nurtured, not through exhaustion, but by allowing sufficient time for leisure, and they are realizing that their work partakes of their personality."   Contemporary Quilts, essay by Luella Doss                                                                                  America's Glorious Quilts (pub.1987...

A List of Contrasts Whether one works with paint, words, musical notes, clay, fabric, or any other medium, creatives are always looking for new ways to generate ideas for their work. It doesn't matter if you are brainstorming for a project you have been given or one that you have set for yourself, most artists, craftspeople, musicians, poets, authors want to push beyond the obvious solution for the challenge at hand. We all work to come up with something that is different, original. Back when I was generating ideas for illustrations, I began a list of contrasts and kept it close at hand. I thought of it as my own personal nudge to think "outside the box."  It started with simple opposites; at the top of the list is right/left, back/front, light/dark. This enabled me to look critically at the image I was creating. Sometimes it served as a reminder to consider both of these qualities, for instance, the light and shadows that provided the light/dark contrast in the image. A...

This shawl was created in 2014 with a pattern from knitsimple: 33 knit Shawls by SoHo Publishing Co. It's a collection that ranks the projects on complexity with a scale of 1 to 4, which means that with one book the beginner can progress through each project and eventually tackle the "experienced" category. The advantage of knitting shawls is there are no complicated edges, like the armholes or neck edging of a garment, to navigate. The simplicity of the shawl shape focuses your attention on the pattern itself, (and sometimes it requires a lot of attention to get lacy patterns right.) It's been a while since I've posted a knitting project. So, as I was collecting my thoughts to write, I googled quotes on knitting for a little inspiration and ran across this one from writer/knitter  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee : Every ball or skein of yarn holds something inside it, and the great mystery of what that might be is almost spiritual.  Gears started turning and I rem...

Embroidery Sampler Many years ago my grandmother gave me a cigar box filled with embroidery floss in a wide range of colors: whole skeins, single strands, and many short lengths. Though I had never used a needle in this way, I was thrilled with all the color at my fingertips and my imagination went to work on how to put them to good use. At the time, the margins of my school notebooks were brimming with doodles of patterns and concentric circles of patterns, so this design was a natural progression from a doodle to a textile. It gave me an opportunity to use all the small pieces of thread and to try this new art form. For this project I had no instruction or reference book; either it didn't occur to me to seek one out, or an author had yet to compile a step-by-step encyclopedia of stitchery like the ones you can easily pick up today. So this was an experiment, a needle work sampler, filled with fabric stretching and puckers, inconsistencies, mistakes, and happy inventions, ...

The Road of Creativity and Candy Crush Certainly we have all had those moments of marveling at something truly creative and pondering “how did they think of that?” How indeed. How does one even describe the creative process? It is at once simple and complex, individual and universal, solitary and humanly interconnected. And it is always exciting and inspiring. For an road map of the creative process we might look at something very familiar to computer game enthusiasts: Candy Crush . If, you are not familiar with this game, it is literally laid out in a board game format along which the player advances through a never ending series of challenges. Argue what you will on the merits of computer games, this one documents the evolutionary aspect of creativity. Webster defines the word method as a “system of doing things or handling ideas .” Looking carefully at the process used to create each level in  Candy Crush, we might find some hints on "handling ideas"...

Blank Canvas- Nuggets of Creativity Smooth rocks seem to be an inviting blank canvas, and somebody decided to take paint and brush in hand to create some messages for the neighbors.       One was spotted on a street corner at the base of a stop sign, presented as if to say   "Stop, and love."      Continuing on our walk, there was one at eye level balanced in a hedge. At the edge of one home's landscaping, there was a collection of these decorated rocks. Perhaps we had located the creator of these colorful little message nuggets, or maybe we stumbled on an admiring collector. I would bet this idea was inspired by the tradition of dying eggs; we've seen several of them scattered along our walking route since Easter. When you stumble upon one, it's like finding a new treasure. All along the way, people are making their creative mark and adding to the blossoming colors of spring. The small chalking marks that appeared on a...

Creative Problem Solving Southern California has been practicing responsible social distancing and following stay-at-home guidelines for about a month now. While the world takes on these challenges at the macro level, the extreme situations in daily individual experience push us to be creative in the course of just trying to get through this unusual and difficult time. We are forced to adjust and adapt. For instance, we don’t get to the beach for our walks right now but we still walk the neighborhood, as do others in our community. It reminds me of fast forwarded highway traffic footage showing the ebb and flow of bumper to bumper drivers reacting to each other and making allowances for what comes in their paths. We’ve learned to adjust our pace, cross the street and walk in the bike lanes as we share the great outdoors. It is an opportunity to silently connect with our neighbors by demonstrating an awareness of their presence and a concern for the well-being of all. It...

The Wall of Creative Inactivity I've been trying to make a habit of finishing projects in the old year so I can start fresh in the new year. But, December was a joy-filled whirlwind, and that means it was really unproductive, from a quilting perspective. Anyway, I have at least six quilts "under construction,"- there wasn't much chance that I was going to reach my goal this time around. Now that things have settled in to the regular routine, I'm getting reacquainted with the sewing room. I have just finished my fortieth "word in fabric"... I think that's enough! Once again I have put myself in the awkward position of having to construct a quilt top with blocks of many different sizes and configurations. A new challenge. A new puzzle to pull together. What a way to start 2020! I had been thinking about the exhilaration of starting a project; new beginnings all around. What I found was that renewing my commitment to this project, finishing ...