Being an Artist – Page 3

That magical place of being; reverie

I love learning new things. I never want my thoughts to be without engagement. What is? What if? What next? How? Constantly wondering and awarded with discovering something new.

This week I learned a new word, “reverie.” Merriem-Webster describes it as “the condition of being lost in thought; day dream.” Phil Cousineau in his book “Stoking the Creative Fires” describes it as the first fire that must be stoked to ignite the creative work that keeps you from going crazy.

Much like “flow,” which was conceptualized and introduced into psychology by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi as a creative cognitive space where we step out of the routines of everyday life into a different reality. A place were we get lost in time, find effortless attention, and a balance between skill and challenge.

Both reverie and flow describe the place were creatives are lost in their task. I have held this space, have you? Right now I’m in-between projects and craving this super absorbed space in time. I’ve been thinking what inspires my reverie. What sparks yours?

For me listening to my playlists and getting lost in music is my magical place. The lyrics fill my brain and the rhythm pulses my heartbeat. I love going to live performances and watch how the musicians transform on stage. Scott Terry (pictured) of Red Wanting Blue is one of those performers. His facial expressions show his departure from time and place. He is singing with his muse and the audience is flowing with him. In my personal journey, I’m discovering how to spark that magical place of being; reverie.

Always continue to try

I’m one who likes to keep quiet until something is definite. So many things can go wrong. (Yes, I’m also a recovering pessimist.) I believe if I share something too early and it doesn’t happen, I’d have to publicly explain why it didn’t. My reasoning is even more pronounced after these covid years. I watched so many things get cancelled; weddings, exhibits, concerts, vacations, home remodeling projects, etc. So until I know for sure, I plan to stay neutral about possibilities in my future. And that’s what I did…

Early in December 2021, I had an idea for an article for Quilting Arts magazine. This wasn’t the first time I submitted to a magazine; sometimes the ideas get accepted and sometimes not. You have to pull together the courage to say, “no matter what the answer, it will be OK.” And yes, over the years, I’ve dealt with my share of rejections and acceptances. (Does anyone really enjoy announcing the things that didn’t work out?) You move forward by mustering the courage to try, and possibly fail, then hit send and wait.

My pitch wasn’t accepted in the way I anticipated. Instead of my idea, I was asked to do a “Show Us Your Studio” feature for Spring edition 2022. Definitely not what I expected, but, how cool was that? I had a couple weeks to pull my room together, get the photos taken, answer Vivika’s questions, and submit before Christmas. And…I made the deadline!!

As I write this, I think about my Godmother and the conversations we had before she died. She told me that one day she expected to be reading about me in quilting magazines. I couldn’t see it back then, but she did. So this one is for you, Zen. Another reminder, that we should always continue to try.

If you don’t subscribe to Quilting Arts Magazine, you can purchase a copy here: https://www.quiltingdaily.com/product-category/magazines-ebooks/quilting-arts/

To the top

I’m currently reading “The Reluctant Artist” by Karen Kinney. Its a fast read and offers a lot of insight into the creative journey. I highly recommend it. I’m lucky enough to be reading along with a small circle of creative women who work in a variety of mediums. This book seems to speak to all of us at some level.

In her book, Kinney writes about feeding our creativity by consistently showing up which, in turn, creates forward momentum in our creativity. One feeds the other. We always want to be moving forward in our journey, the consistency is what feeds our soul. The problem with this is staying the course. It isn’t easy. Kinney references Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art“ (another good, quick, read). In it Pressfield writes “The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”

So, if you’re a creative person, there’s this battle going on. You may realize your creativity is very important to you, but you also find that you’re facing resistance too. Maybe you’re finding excuses and making other things more important (e.g. laundry, cleaning the cupboards, etc.). Maybe you’re critical of yourself, your art or your motivation. Granted some “excuses” are valid activities that need to be done, but do they have to be the priority all the time? Is there room in your life to make adjustments? Can you hush the inner self-criticism? Are you willing to change some things to free up extra time and show up for your art practice? The more you show up, the more you’ll accomplish and the more you’ll want to want to show up.

I admit its challenging and I’m always seriously confronting my own resistance. But, I am also showing up. Does it matter if we show up for full day sessions of creative activity? No, small increments of time and attention are equally valuable to conjure momentum.

Think of it as climbing a hill; its steep and you’re tired. If we stop moving our feet, our movement stops. The longer the pause, the more time it will take to get to the top. BUT! we will still be traveling, just not as quickly if we forced our way up. It is the consistency of stepping one foot, then the other, that will get us to the top.

What you make others see

Recently someone asked me “What does it mean to you when someone says ‘artist’?” I thought I knew, but then as I thought some more I questioned my ingrained beliefs. My first thought was a creative person, but is that really what I thought? I have always been a creative person, but there definitely was a time that I truly wished I was an artist!

I think society leads us to believe that a true artist is much grander than just someone who creates. I’ve definitely remember carrying the imposter syndrome with me when I’ve attended some art shows. I’ve have felt a level of snobbery when someone looked at my art work, turned up their nose and walked away. I have even experienced rejection from art guilds which outwardly excluded certain media (e.g., photography or textiles) from their exhibits.

I guess this is why I’m so proud of Bisa Butler and her textile portraits. This past year her colorful fabric portraits hung in 3 gallery rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work proudly displayed near artwork of the world’s masters, Matisse, Rembrandt, Picasso, Kahlo, etc. Bravo for breaking (many) barriers!

So is it the media or the perceived skill level? Some might argue that Jackson Pollock didn’t use skill making his paint splattered canvases. But, Pollock is a highly regarded “artist.” So perceived skill is not what it takes to make someone an artist.

Another issue is that many people think the word “artist” means painter or visual artist. When people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m an artist. Do you know that a good majority of the time their response is “What do you paint?” Hmmm? What limits their view? Why aren’t they including musicians, potters, photographers, authors, cooks, etc?

Awhile back, I wrote about the limitation of classifying an artist based only if they sold work or not. Using “professional artist” as the definition is another argument that has little value in defining the word.

Its a lot to think about, but my lesson is that we must embrace and encourage a wider view of the word. As a dear friend said, there’s a spectrum to all of this. We have big name artists who we recognize as masters and a range of artists that are lesser known. There’s also the artist that no one ever thinks of or knows; the one who creates amazing art and never shows it to anyone.

I guess there never will be an agreeable definition, but I say embrace them all because:

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” (Edgar Degas)

Process of learning

Part of what I have to do to create my artwork is to take photos of birds. I have some drawing skills but not enough to feel confident about drawing freehand. My college education is in wildlife biology. So, I personally like what I do to be as accurate as possible in representing the species I’m featuring. This is why I rely on a camera so much.

The screech owl piece I finished last week was generated using this photo as a starting point. I took the photo during a public event for an animal rehabilitation facility. These events are great ways to raise awareness and money for the organizations. But, they are also great opportunities to get photographs of animals you may never see in the wild. You don’t even have to be that great of photographer or need a fancy camera. This photo was taken using my cell phone.

Judges/jurors of art shows don’t take to kindly to artists submitting work where a photo by someone else was used to inspire the art (yes, even if the photographer gave permission). It falls within the messy business of copyright law. Copyrights are a tricky thing. This is why I’ve decided to source my own reference photos.

Its just another layer to the art I create. I have to practice/improve my photo skills and seek out opportunities to capture the images. It is all part of the process of learning.

Tenacity to Embrace Fear

Between the holidays and trying to complete several projects, this has been a full month for me. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the company which hosted my online classes is closing down in April. I’ve been thinking about what to do next. I’ve been researching different platforms to work with and I’m pretty sure I know which one I will choose.

February is going to be a month of catching up and creating things I can share with all of you. I was asked to join 3 other women for an art exhibit next year. So I’ll be in my studio creating art. I was honored to be asked to join these women. We all work in very different mediums, so it should be interesting to see the results of our combined efforts.

Over the past couple months, I have had several ideas for working in a series. This exhibit opportunity will give me a reason to work on what has been flying in my head. I received grant money last year to purchase a new camera. I am using the camera to photograph birds to create a bird textile art. The screech owl here is my first piece in the series…(note: you’ll be seeing more of him this year).

You probably can see that I don’t like monotony. I always want to try new things and grow. However, the older I get the more I realize that its difficult to stay on one path too long. Life is always throwing zingers. It is hard to look back to a year ago and realize all that I was doing then is very different today. You have to be ready, flexible and willing to face the uncertainty. That’s why I titled this new owl piece “Tenacity to Embrace Fear.”

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See “The Messenger” at
5th Annual Birds of a Fiber Exhibit
January 27-February 28, 2022

Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum
703 South Second Street
La Conner WA 98257

Godspeed

I set “The Messenger“ free, again. I packed it in a box and now it is traveling across the United States in the back of a FedEx truck. I’m sharing it’s good karma with the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum in La Conner, Washington.

“The Messenger” was selected to be part of the museum’s popular 5th Annual “Birds of a Fiber” exhibit. The exhibit runs from January 26 – February 27, 2022.

I’m very honored to have my hawk hang in the beautiful Victorian era museum aviary of filled with art quilt birds. I wish I could travel with it. In a way, a little piece of me is. The Pacific Northwest holds a special place in my heart. Its the first placed I lived after leaving Chicago. I treasure my memories of the beautiful landscapes and the first bald eagle I ever saw. I know a piece of my heart and soul was left behind when I moved back east. It feels good to be sending another part of me back after all these years (even if only temporarily).

Its also been a long time since my artwork has exhibited outside NC. It’s a good feeling. I hope this majestic bird brings good messages and joy to all who see it. Godspeed.

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5th Annual Birds of a Fiber Exhibit
January 26 – February 27, 2022
Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum

703 South 2nd Streed
La Conner, WA 98257

What is in front

It’s a busy time of year, so many expectations. At the end of the year, you never want to be given “one more thing” to add to your list. But, I got one anyway…

Last week I received an email from the company I host my online classes. They have decided after 10 years in business it was time to close shop. It’s a disappointment for sure, but now what? I just started building online course this year. Because of Covid, it was a necessity for me to help keep income coming in during these trying times. Lots of people converted to virtual methods of working and staying connected. This past year, you probably participated in online learning, social meet-ups, or even participated in one my classes/lectures. I think the technology is a wonderful tool.

Since the announcement, I’ve been spending hours researching and trying to decide what next. I have other things on my agenda for the next 7weeks and don’t have time to learn/set up a new system. I decided, instead, to postpone any decision until I have time to act on it. It’s a disappointment (one of many from this past 20 months), but its OK!

What is the bright side? That’s where I want to go with this. Life is always handing us stuff we don’t expect or want. Have you ever faced a change where you expected the worst, then in hindsight realized it was an amazing opportunity that made you a better person? I know I have. Maybe these challenges are the universe offering an opportunity to change for the better? Are we ready? Yes! this is how I’m looking it.

This is an opportunity for me to check-in with what is behind me to see more clearly what is in front.

Improve your stitching

Last month I wrote a post about using interfacing when you paint with thread (aka free-motion embroidery). This month I want to share some information about thread tension when doing free-motion sewing. This information is appropriate for thread painting and free-motion quilting.

When I was younger, I remember a sewing machine technician strongly telling me and my dad that we should “never touch the tension dial!” I adhered to that rule and it so intimidated me … until I started quilting.

Thread tension is the the point where the thread coming from the spool (top of the machine) has a balanced pull with the thread in the bobbin (bottom of the machine). Think of it as a tug of war between the two (see image). If the top tension is too tight, it will pull up the bobbin thread and you’ll see little pop-ups of that thread on the top of your work.

If the top tension is too loose, it will get pulled to the back of the work by the bobbin thread.

The tension dial on the front of your machine controls the tension of the top thread and is helpful in balancing the tug of war.

There’s also a way to adjust the bobbin tension, but most of the time top tension adjustments are all we need. So to keep things simple and easier I’ll only discuss the top tension. If necessary, you can learn more about adjusting the bobbin tension by referring to your sewing machine’s manual.

Tension balance is affected when we sew different materials, think of the difference in thicknesses between quilts, fine fabrics, heavy denim, quilters cotton, etc. The tension has to be adjusted to accommodate each because the thickness of the layers is different.

When you sew, always do some test stitching with the materials you plan to use. I check when I first start sewing, every time I change the top or bobbin thread (stuff happens), and any time I use different stitches (e.g., straight vs zig-zag). Look at the stitches on the front and the back of the work. Do you see an in-balance in the tug of war?

When sewing machine mechanics service our machines, they adjust the tension to accommodate straight stitching on light weight cotton fabric with the tension dial set mid-way. My tension dial has ten numbers (0-9). In this set-up, the mid point is 5. So the mechanic set my machine to have a good balance on cotton at #5. This is good to know…because if things get wonky, we can go back to the middle setting and start over. Also remember to set your machine back to that setting when you straight sew.

If your sample stitching indicates an adjustment is needed, you can refer to the chart on this page which indicates what you do for each scenario (feel free to right-click on the image and save it to your computer). Make minor adjustments at a time and check your stitching again. Check both front and back of your work because it’s possible to over compensate. Did you solve the issue? If not, make some more adjustments.

It’s not so intimidating when you get comfortable with the concept. When your stitches don’t look their best, you can be confident it setting them right. It’s good to know how your machine works and how to improve your stitching.

Just follow your heart

“I wish I were creative like you!”

Have you ever said that? I wonder what makes someone think they’re not creative? What is creativity anyway? I know, I’m full of questions today, aren’t I? But if you ever said that, I just want you to know I’ve been thinking about you.

There’s a who lot of self-doubt piled into that statement. I know, because I’ve been there. This statement often hangs out with it’s good friend, “I could never be that good.” So, what does it mean to be good enough? When we say these statements, it generally means we crave to have those desired talents. Or maybe, we’re disappointed we don’t.

We are all so very unique. We have different skills and different life experiences. I think about these statements and wonder when a person decides that these are truths. Somewhere in their life, someone shut them down. The aftermath was an internal belief that they should give up trying.

“Why bother? I’ll never be as talented as you.”

Stop for a minute. Is this really true? Offer a little kid a creative project and they’ll usually dive in. Well, sometimes they might rather play their video game, but they never say, “nah…it’s OK I’m not good enough!” Hmmm? Once upon a time, we were that free-spirited child. When did we lose that spirit and willingness to try? No one is born with self-doubt.

Sure, maybe we might be better at some tasks than others. But, as the saying goes, “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” If it doesn’t feel right, try something different. There are so many creative things in this world; music, literature, performing arts, visual arts, culinary arts, etc. I say, if you wish to be creative, then be it. How? It’s simply, just follow your heart.