Art+Quilt: Quilter Beth - actual texture

Is it acceptable to call someone that is working through my book a "student" even if I haven't had the privilege of meeting her in the classroom? I sincerely hope so because Quilter Beth is doing some absolutely beautiful work and I'm so glad she's sharing her it with the world.

These are her ACTUAL TEXTURE exercises from chapter two in Art + Quilt in which one creates a composition with neutral colored fabrics with as many different textures as possible. It is an exploration in moving outside of the box - getting away from our comfortable quilter's cottons. Seeing new possibilities in our materials as well as in our own artistic sensibilities. 

Beth says, "Since I come from a traditional quilting background, I have seldom used fabrics other than smooth cottons in my pieces. I found myself really enjoying the feel of these various textures. I also liked "pushing" myself to come up with ways to add texture through embellishments. I think the multiple textures (and the play of light off these textures) make the pieces much more interesting."

Please click on these pictures to take a closer look at the fascinating materials she's used. There are rubber drawer liners and straw hat brims. Her compositions are well balanced and thoughtfully done. She's given each of her materials thought and care. What beautiful pieces.

Art + Quilt: Quilter Beth - Unity

Quilter Beth is making fantastic progress - methodically working her way through the exercises in Art + Quilt. Pop on over to her blog and take a look!

Art + Quilt: Quilter Beth - Color as Emotion

I had the great pleasure of meeting Beth in Paducah several weeks ago and now it is even more of a pleasure to follow her progress as she works through the exercises in my book, "Art + Quilt: design principles and creativity exercises."

In her own words, "In the Color as Emotion exercise, the instructions said to “Create a simple composition that evokes a feeling, using color as the dominant element. Choose any emotion as your inspiration.” This was a hard exercise for me. Trying to think of an original composition pushes my limits. The requirement to use color as the dominant element also added to the difficulty. This is what I came up with. My first picture represents sadness."

"We were asked if we could repeat the composition in a different color combination and change the mood. I thought I’d give it a try. My second picture represents excitement. The compositions are the same; the only change is color."

Pop on over to her blog and tell her that she's done an amazingly great job for being uncomfortable with original design. 

I hope this inspires you to take a few chances, to try a few things that you might not have tried before. Start out with a few small pieces of batting or muslin and simply layer other fabrics on them. Don't worry about perfection. Don't worry about wasting material. The point is to LEARN something - and that is always of great value.

Thanks Beth!!!

Student Spotlight: Paducah

I truly am THE luckiest person in the world to be able to do what I do. I shlep and huff for a week, fly for a day, then play and play and play! And I get to play with the funnest people. These lovely ladies came in singing out loud and I joined right in.

Just Foiling Around

foil, glitter, painted Wonder-Under

Surface Design Sampler Platter

Imagine my surprise and joy - that's Quilter Beth in the cupcake apron.

She's been spotlighted here as she works her way through Art + Quilt!

Here we are getting up and around, doing photo transfer, painting and stamping, 

and yes, cutting out snowflakes. It's more fun than kindergarden!

Apli-Punto to Go

What troopers! It was a night class and they stayed awake and made such beautiful things!

Couldn't quite get them all in the picture so here we have the other half.

They are laughing at me perched up high on a chair with the camera in the air.

I LOVE THIS JOB!!!

You make it all worthwhile!

It was a rough year writing the book and I certainly didn't do it for the money. I did it because I'm on a crusade. Too many women look at me with those sad, sad eyes and say "I'm not creative."

Sorry. Not True. Big Lie!!!!

Everyone is creative in some way. Usually they are wishing they were an artist but have never been taught - or allowed themselves the time and mental space to learn the skills an artist needs. That's what the book is for. Nobody picks up a pencil and draws like Picasso the first time - it takes time and work and lots of effort.

So - here are a few links to people who are working through the book and doing some beautiful things. First a picture from a fabulous group working together up in the frozen north. I believe this one is Carol's line study.

Kay from Indiana has made a lovely texture study (actual texture)

http://outofthebasement.blogspot.com/2010/01/texture-study-8-x-10-it-seems-long-long.html

Quilter Beth's visual texture exercises are beautiful!

http://quilterbeth.blogspot.com/2010/02/art-quilt-bethlyric-project.html