Fibermania

Artistic Emergency!

Hi Melody,

I finally have a day off from work and wanted to be creative. Yesterday I finished fusing all my fabric and cleaned up my studio so I could start off bright and early. I was so excited to finally have time to be creative and what happened today? I get to my studio, take out fabric, started to play and nothing happened.

HELP!!!!! WHAT DO I DO???????
All Fused up and no where to go.

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Dear All Fused Up,

Am I too late??

Option #1

Here's a tiny piece of inspiration. It has cool shapes, an interesting division of space and an unusual palette. When you look at this, determine how it could be constructed, what color scheme you would use, and whether or not you would applique it or piece it? Fused of course.

Then you may want to design something of your own, or tackle something from your sketchbook.
I recently learned that my drawings end up making the best work, since the design is worked out first and the rest is just playing with color and shapes.
I know you can draw.

Option #2

I have also been thinking about drawing a contour of a phildendron leaf, with holes, you know, a gigantic uneven wavy-holey leaf. Then tracing that leaf and flipping the tracing and seeing ways the two leaves overlap and interact, and then taking it one or two steps away from reality and doing it in other colors.
I may use this exercise in our retreat workshop this July in IN.

Option #3

Take the time to shoot some digitals of your best work and print them out together on a sheet of good paper. Try to analyse the strong points, the recurring themes, or shapes, and consider reworking a good idea with a simpler or more grand approach. Imagine this work to be in a stylish gallery setting, with spotlights on each piece and you standing there getting applause.

While it can be fun to spontaneously create a work, it usually is after we have had the time to relax and get in the zone, before it 'spontaneously' appears.

In the end, it pays to take a sketchbook with you to work and to make drawings for projects on your day's off.