Blisstree » Artist+hideout

Developing Your Style or Voice as a Quilt Artist

Mary Emma Allen — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 03:03:47 +0000

Do you find your quilting style changing as you become more involved in this art? For instance, I started out making traditional quilts using the patterns handed down throughout the years. More recently, I’ve been drawn to art quilting and smaller pieces. I haven’t made a bed quilt for years.

My daughter has done the same. Beth made her first quilt for her bed at college. Her work now involves art quilting and fiber art. (Actually, my venturing into art quilting resulted after seeing what Beth does. See examples at her Meandering Threads blog.)

Are we finding our style or voice? Are we following a trend…or discovering what we like to do best and where we excel?

William Lehman has a good piece at Artist Hideout about Developing your own voice as an artist. “There are different stages most artists go through,” he says.

Then William asks two questions to help you find your unique voice:

*What would you have your legacy be?

*How will your art reflect that [your legacy] from here on out?

Interesting to think about…What do you want to leave as a legacy? How will you want others to think of you? Thanks, William, for giving us something to consider!

Post from: Blisstree

Developing Your Style or Voice as a Quilt Artist

Lists of Fabulous Information at September Showcase – Quilting & Patchwork Included

Mary Emma Allen — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:00:06 +0000

Lists of information for readers, who desire resources but don’t necessarily have a great deal of time searching for them, have become increasingly popular. The b5media Arts & Design Channel’s September Showcase fits right into this trend.

William Lehman, at Artist Hideout, has done a great job compiling this round-up. You’ll want to check out these “live list about lists” from the various Arts & Design blogs.

My Quilting and Patchwork list involves 10 Quilting Sites & Blogs That Excite Me.

If you’d like your blog or web site included in my next list, simply leave a comment and let me know about it. I think this would be fun to have as a monthly post…more frequently if I hear from more quilters, fabric artists and mixed media participants.

Post from: Blisstree

Lists of Fabulous Information at September Showcase – Quilting & Patchwork Included

Celebrate Your Quiltmaking Accomplishments

Mary Emma Allen — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 01:14:26 +0000

Your quiltmaking celebrations don’t have to be public events or exhibits to give you a feeling of accomplishment. Private celebrations of quiltmaking enable you to feel good about what you’re doing, according to Lynn at Fiber Fantasies in her post, Private Celebrations of Quiltmaking.

Take pride in the work that you do, find enjoyment working on it and celebrate the finished product. If you have a blog, you may want to post it there as my daughter does in Meandering Threads. She shares her work with her blog friends and the artists in her local fiber arts group.

Celebrate you work! And share it with us.

Post from: Blisstree

Celebrate Your Quiltmaking Accomplishments

Photographing Your Quilting & Fabric Art

Mary Emma Allen — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:56:22 +0000

Photographing your quilting and fabric art is easy for some but a challenge for others, especially if you want a really nice photo to send in for a contest, juried show, or publication. Photos for your own use, your scrapbook, family memories, or just so you’ll have a record of what you made aren’t so critical…although it is nice to have ones that excel here, too.

If you’re having problems with your photography, especially when it comes to using a digital camera, like I do, you might want to consider taking some tips from another Arts and Design blog, Digital Photography School.

If you visit Artist Hideout, William Lehman will show you what not to do when taking photos of art work and why he finally hired a persona photographer when he wants great pictures…ones for which his camera phone won’t suffice. Check out How to photograph your art work…and maybe how not to.

Do you have some tips for photographing quilting and fabric art?

Post from: Blisstree

Photographing Your Quilting & Fabric Art

What Would You Think of a $75,000 Quilt?

Mary Emma Allen — Tue, 22 May 2007 00:55:17 +0000

William Lehman, at Artist Hideout, called my attention to his post about renowned quilter Nancy Crow. He had discovered a story about her in his local news which told how her rather accidentally become involved in quiltmaking when she discovered she couldn’t realize her dream of becoming a potter. She was allergic to clay dust.

So Nancy turned to quiltmaking and her work now brings prices between $8,000 and $75.000.

When I became involved in qultmaking again in the 1970s (I first quilted with my grandmother at age 8), Nancy was starting to make a name for herself. It has been exciting to watch her become, over the years, a very well-known quiltmaker and author.

In a world where often the quilter and fabric artist’s work isn’t appreciated monetarily as it might (unless you do this yourself, you don’t know the time, effort, and ingenuity involved), it’s gratifying to know someone can be recognized and rewarded for their creativity as Nancy is.

(I wrote a previous article about Nancy and her new book.)

Post from: Blisstree

What Would You Think of a $75,000 Quilt?