Category: Art Quilts to Inspire

It’s Been Too Long

IMG_0598-2018-12-10-21-46.jpg

For months I tried something new – more time working at a jobby-job and less time with my art. I got a peek at the inner workings and management of a quilt shop. It was sometimes fun and sometimes too stressful. There were long days and I had a hard time separating my free time from thoughts on shop processes or my work to-do lists.

There was a lot of chaos and changes and during a recent trip to visit friends and family, I decided to step away from that jobby-job and get back to my art. I missed creating. I missed posting here.

IMG_0595-2018-12-10-21-46.jpg

Saying no to something that you’d been doing for almost 3 years is difficult. But that no, gave me the opportunity to say yes to an art show in January.

Before all that fun and stress, we bought our first home – a small condo with a tiny back yard and room for most of our stuff including a small studio. It took longer than expected to unpack and settle in but I’m back to creating.

I look forward to seeing what’s possible in the coming months.

“Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.” – Helen Keller

She Feels Deeply

IMG_1634-2018-07-7-21-44.jpg
“If you want to have a life that is worth living, a life that expresses your deepest feelings and emotions and cares and dreams, you have to fight for it.” – Alice Walker

IMG_1631-2018-07-7-21-44.jpg
She feels deeply (5.5” x 9”)

Discovers Wonder in the World

IMG_1932-2018-05-10-20-56.jpg
“He who wonders discovers that this in itself is wonder.” – M. C. Escher

IMG_1936-2018-05-10-20-56.jpg
She discovers wonder in the world (5.5” x 9”)

It’s been far too long – I’ve missed posting.

In late March, I injured myself rotary cutting far too much for far too long. I was prepping fabric and batting for lots and lots of art quilts. I strongly recommend pacing yourself with receptive tasks – oh did my shoulder hurt and I had reduced range of motion – I couldn’t hook/unhook my own bra.

After a few sessions of physical therapy, it was clear that I had to slow down – no cutting, very little sewing, no ironing, no folding papers and journal cover, very little computer time. I needed a long break to let my arm heal. Thankfully, I had two weeks of travel planned for early April.

I spent a week in San Antonio at the SAQA conference where I met lots of art quilters and filled my head with ideas and my sketchbook with doodled notes. I spent another week in Indiana visiting family, seeing friends and teaching a workshop. I drove more in 8 days than I normally drive in 6 months living in Alaska. It may be a big state, but we don’t have a lot of roads.

I came home thinking I had rested enough – not quite. There’s been ongoing physical therapy and forcing myself to create in shorter bursts. Last week I celebrated when I could finally do up my bra the normal way.

The worst part about being injured has been realizing that I can’t keep up my usual creative making pace – not without an assistant or laser-cutter. I have to stop beating myself up about missing my self imposed deadlines to stitch enough art quilts and journals to have ample and extra inventory available. It’s a daily battle in my brain to understand that my plans to make and stitch have to be balanced against not doing the same task for long periods of time. In other words, slow and steady progress is better than finishing fast and being hurt. With summer soon to arrive, the call of the sun will hopefully pull me out of the studio and give my arm a break a more frequently than I had been.