I’ve been feeling a little lost on the creative front. All my energies have been going to writing, and my fiber artist, who loves to sew and knit, has been terribly neglected. Fortunately, my quilt guild (the Rocky Mountain Creative Quilters) had a thoughtful and articulate speaker at this week’s meeting.
Tom Lundberg is a fiber artist and a professor at Colorado State University. He gave an inspiring talk that explored a variety of ways fibers can be used to create objects. The art he shared with us showed the wild and unusual things modern artists are doing with yarn, thread, fabric, and other materials. When his talk was over I nearly jumped out of my seat to run up and talk to him.
What got me so excited?
Being reminded about Mark Newton, who knits full-size superhero costumes for every hero out there, from Batman to Argyleman.
Seeing examples of yarn bombing, a form of guerrilla art where the artists cover everyday outdoor objects with yarn.
Paul Nosa who does free-hand drawings with his mobile bicycle and solar-powered sewing machine.
Why did I get so excited? Because I remembered something I had forgotten about art, something incredibly important.
Anything goes. There are no rules. Make whatever you dream of making. Play, experiment, explore. Have fun.
The result: I still don’t know what I’ll be doing when I get there, but I cannot wait to get into my studio.
Yes indeed. Though my painted and drawn art tends to be pretty utilitarian and illustrative, I do make the occasional hamster or skull and crossbones-shaped meatloaf, and I find art wherever I go, in abandoned buildings, leaves and skies. Great affirmation, Kit.
Thanks, Julie. I can’t believe I forgot this, but I think it really explains why I’ve been less than excited about quilting lately. I’ve gotten into a bit of a rut and been working within some unwritten parameters that are kind of limiting. Hope to get time in the studio soon to start thinking about what I can do that’s different.
So beautiful. I always crave a variety of creative activities but right now my focus is also on my WIP.
Thanks! I am also putting a lot of my energy into writing right now. But I definitely ebb and flow with my creative work, and sometimes I need to make stuff with my hands. I sometimes get frustrated that there isn’t more time. Still trying to figure out how to live forever. 🙂