What do you do and what inspires you?

I am applying to an internet quilt group to act as a lead for a week.  They had a list of questions to answer and I thought it would be interesting to share some of my answers with you.  The questions were thought provoking.  They asked what my quilting style was like, what inspired me, how my quilting relates to the subject I want to share with the group.  

The process of answering the questions was interesting and introspective.  It made me think of what I do, what I like and what inspires me.  Maybe we all should sit back every once in a while and answer these questions.   Here are some of my thoughts.  How would you answer these questions?

In fact, just for kicks and giggles, before you read on to my answers, why don’t you jot some notes about your thoughts and either link your blogpost in the comments or write them in the comments below.

What is your style, what do you do that adds to techniques chosen, what and who inspires you, scope of work and other things about you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are my answers paraphrased and combined in several paragraphs.

What is your style:
I have a laid back, don’t sweat the mistakes attitude. I try everything I am interested in and sometimes take risks.  I believe we need to push through the fear of failure we all have!

What do you do that can add to the technique chosen:
I have done the International Cotton Robin and the Modern Robin Challenges for almost 10 years now.  In my 4 guilds I also get involved with challenges so I can interact with the people.  I love coming into contact with things I would normally not do, colors I wouldn’t pick up and styles that are not mine.

I do art and fiber art quilt work and mostly Modern and Improv Quilting.  Started as a traditional quilter, I could never live up to the perfectionists who match every seam. I am not afraid to try anything, sometimes I succeed wildly..... and sometimes not so much.  It is part of the journey, right?

What and who inspires you:
I am inspired by so many things; mostly those amazing people in my Fiber Art groups ( SAQA, CFAL and Fiber Explorations).  I have developed relationships with other internet artists and we share knowledge and information informally.  I find that such an asset.  We don't have to socialize with each other later so we can talk with honesty about each other's work.  It isn't all flattery, and that is the way I like it.


Scope of work:
I do rusting, stencilling, fabric manipulation of various sorts.  I do some machine piecing, some handwork, some embroidery, some dyeing.  And Eco-dyeing, I am learning from a real Medicine Man from the Tuskalosa Tribe!!!  Sometimes I get overwhelmed with it all!  But I continue to make quilts and art and give them to people who love them.  Sometimes I sell some art or a quilt, sometimes I get a commission.  But it is not what I live for. My charity work is for Animal Charities rather than children, which makes me somewhat of an outlier in the quilting guilds.

Other things you want to say:
My sewing room is a mess, my seams don’t always match..... I am the every woman of quilting. I do what I love and buy more fabric!  I own a long arm but work freehand not computerised (which is cheating, right?) I make my own mistakes and learn from them!  (Or like them and repeat them.). I am President of the largest and oldest Animal Rescue in the area and have trained dogs for over 40 years.  I currently own the two Basset Boyz down from five 100+ lb Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs. Hence the Quilts and Dogs moniker!

Hope you liked the concept and will challenge yourself to answer some questions on your own.

The questioning artist

All artists ask the same questions -- do I do good work? Is my art something others like? Do I like my work? How can I improve? Could I have done more on this piece? Should I have done less?

Artist Stefen Baumann (Isn't he a hunk?) says all artists are ultimately skeptics asking -- do I have talent? Does my art have feeling or meaning?

He offers that these skeptical conversations create barriers between who we are and what we are capable of creating. Artists often allow these barriers to affect their confidence in their art.  We are generally our own worst critics.  Family and friends will often fall in two separate camps, those wanting to please and only saying nice things or those who just don't feel comfortable with our work and may be critical just because.  My husband is one of those latter critics.

When the answers in our own minds are negative nothing will convince us that our piece is good. Then it is time to let that piece cool. I can tell you that I have a lot of pieces "cooling" .

The aspect of questioning our talent and work doesn't need to be negative. But you knew that! How do we get there though when we, and most likely others as well, have offered negative thoughts about our work and undermined that confidence we need to have. I am part of a cybergroup who have made it clear they don't consider art quilts as quilts. When I began to experiment with that venue, it was quite a blow to see those comments written about my work.

Joining an artist's guild, outside our regular quilt guild, may be the answer. Some groups offer a contemporary slant that may be more compatible with your ultimate vision. Or one where members experiment with techniques or materials. I like being part of a fiber group where there are many varied types of art being done. The artists there tend to be less critical of "different" because they are doing "different" themselves. When visiting or joining such a group it is, of course, important to see the differences in the work of others as a joyous and exciting thing, not a negative statement of your own style and body of work.  The internet offers a lot of opportunities for experimentation.  Or form your own!  If you are looking and wondering you know there are others out there too.  Put a notice in your guild's bulletin.  Generate interest from two others and you have a group!

Set some times to meet over coffee or lunch and discuss where you want to go with your art.  What do you want to try that you just need some friends to stand beside you and give you a push?  Perhaps some fellow artists who want to step out of the "normal" state of quilting and need the synergy of others to fly beyond traditional boundaries.

So, what about you? Are you questioning your talent negatively? Do you join in with others who have different styles and openly receive their work?  Do you wish you had such a group to play with?

glen