Leaning in to More

While I was in Seattle I attended two different art exhibits. They really helped me to figure out what I like to look at, and what I enjoy making as an artist.

(I’m an artist in recovery, working my way through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I have a coach who is tremendously helpful. Check out Elizabeth if you are curious. She’s worth it.)

The first Exhibit was Exquisite Creatures by Christopher Marley. This was my first time seeing his work. He preserves dead animals that he sources through zoos and stuff. Then he arranges them, and it sounds gross, right? It was stunning. I spent two hours wandering around, looking and looking again. I started to realize that what I liked was how deep he would go on some pieces. He had displays of lots of bugs, arranged in various rainbows. Then just beetles, then just one kind of beetle in various colors. This repetition and exploration was fascinating to me, and I noticed that the pieces I was drawn to all had that quality of depth. I could hear his “what if…” when I looked at the pieces.

The second exhibit was one I’ve been to before. I went to the park near the Space Needle and saw the Dale Chihuly’s Garden and Glass. This was a second visit for me - the first time I was with family, and I didn’t get to do what I like, which is sit and space out with the artwork. This time I spent a few hours alone and really looked. With Chihuly stuff it is always immediately overwhelming and beautiful. It takes a minute for me to notice the repetition of forms. Everything is just so big, and glass. I get caught in the logistics - how is that thing standing up? I can’t stack 3 glasses without breaking something.

Dale Chihuly

This piece was my favorite on this visit. What if I make a ball with a swirl? What if I make more? What if I float them? What if I make them look like they are floating, but they are sitting on a mirror? Crappy pic - sorry. I hit the video button by accident?

I really enjoyed the garden aspect of this exhibit. The glass sculpture, the sunshine and the flowers come together with an almost spiritual experience for me. I sat on a bench and did some sketching.

Then I pulled out my flowers and took loads of pics. THAT was super fun.

This is when I started to really think about details, and what I want the finished piece to look like. I want it to look like a wild, overgrown cottage garden. I want folks to be transfixed by texture and color, and to find that the more they look, the more they see.

Pieces on the right are old experiments.

I went ahead and splurged on fancy backing. I’ve got 4 yards of Nani Iro double gauze coming from Kokka Fabrics. It’s gorgeous, and it means I have to wait for it to get here before I can start on the Kawandi inspired part. I still have another week to work on these panels. I’ve been adding embroidered bees and other bugs. Leftover threads are getting worked into the flowers, too - pistils, stamens and details. This is going to be my most touchable quilt yet.

If you want to make some bumblebees of your own, I’ve got a tutorial on YouTube.

All of the fabric I’m using on the top is the Handloom collection, generously provided by Windham Fabrics. I’m seriously considering finally starting an online fabric shop, so I have a reason to buy it by the bolt. Should I start an online shop?

Threads are all from Wonderfil Specialty Threads. So far it has all been Efina and Eleganza. I’ll be using Fruitti for the Kawandi stitching when I get to that part. The Fruitti was generously provided by Wonderfil. I already carry that in my pop-up shop!