Creative Living

I try very hard to be creative every day of my life. Since I am a quilt pattern designer and fiber artist...creativity comes with the job description.

Recently I met and interviewed with a creativity coach who is awesome and aims for the stars in all that she does. During the interview I was asked some questions that really made me think about what I do, strengths and weaknesses, and could I live without my creativity. There were questions about being emotionally empowered by our art, the fear of putting ourselves 'out there', and who encourages our art. It was a lot to think about and, of course, after the fact I had better answers:)

Mel Edwards is always looking for creative women, wanting to know what makes us tick and how and why we do what we do. Today at http://www.votrevray.blogspot.com/2008/07/go-to-work-every-day.html you can read an excerpt from my interview along with many other talented artists. You can also sign up to be a part of the "Kiss My Art" crowd and her One Woman Show.

I hope you will take a minute or twenty to visit her site. You go Mel.

Work for Trade

Recently I was given an opportunity to do a piece as a 'work for trade'. I personally find this situation awkward since I don't want either party to feel short changed (especially me) and creating a piece without direction, hoping they will feel it's value in the end, is exhausting. Fortunately, the receiver of my work loved it.
I had been working in a series using the same photo (above) lately and thought it could be interesting to use it in this situation. The only direction I was given was to use the logo colors of black/white/sky blue.
Blue isn't really a color I quickly associate with the sun but as you will see, it really looks cool (pun intended) :)

In this 'work for trade' all worked out well but I don't know how quickly I would do it again without some sort of contract in place.
On to my next project....

Don't Go....

Have you ever been in a situation where you are making something for a challenge, swap, etc. and you realize that you absolutely love it and don't really want to send it? That is what happened with the piece you see below. It is a postcard made from a piece of tapestry with some beading...not very intricate but I love it.
It started out as part of a bigger piece that was trimmed down and so it became a leftover. I pulled it out a couple of weeks ago to enter it into a new life and fell in love with it's simplicity, color, and movement. Making this was good practice for the new piece I will eventually submit. I'm not usually worried about keeping something I love because I know another idea and /or design will come to me. This one took it's perfect place above my favorite wrought iron candelabra.