Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Design and Improvisation Part B
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Over the last few years of my teaching career I focused on teaching improvisational design. It was simply the most direct way to get my students familiar with trusting their own decisions, and creating something without anxiety. At least that was the concept. Whether it worked or not was dependent on numerous uncontrollable factors. Nonetheless it certainly affected my own work to be concentrating so often on the unplanned design.
I even refused to allow my students to make 'pictures' while we worked in this improvisational style. I wanted them to focus on layout, structure, line value and color. That's enough for a one week class. Pictures of recognizable objects is an entirely different direction...and I figured that Frieda and Laura were in charge of classes that dealt with that topic and I could stay completely away from it.
Now that I have retired I find I am making PICTURES. Ha! This is not a conscious thought of "I must get back to the pictorial way of working". It just happened. I swear.
When I was looking for ideas, I retreated to my sketchbook and let it lead me to what I made.
It just happened to be more pictorial in nature. And in fact Nature pictorials.
This is all a preamble to another New Quilt Alert.
I finished a new top yesterday and will be quilting it today and maybe even tomorrow with a finishing estimate of Friday (8am PST).
Now here's the thing: When I have a drawing, a plan, a direction to make a design, even a picture, I still will improvise when I am making it. I still will change lines, and shapes and colors midway through. I am not able to explain why or how or when that could take place, so I never taught it. Also I was not expecting that my students would all be proficient in drawing, so that we could all start on the same level. That would have been nice, but how could it have happened?
So in the interest of full disclosure, I will state that I may start out with a plan, but allow myself some diversions in that plan as I construct the piece.
People want to know how this happens. And I don't have clue. It just does.
New No-Knead Bread Making Video!! this one is great, and very close to what I have been doing.

6 comments:

  1. Keep 'em comin', Mrs. Mel... plunking yourself down in the middle of the beauty of Tennessee has been a very good thing for you!

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  2. That video was a hoot! Maybe I would have learned to cook with a guide like him.

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  3. Anonymous3:46 PM

    Isn't that called "artistic license"? Writers call it poetic license, I think.

    You could spend a lifetime describing it, explaining it, defining it however, you either have "it" or you don't.

    And there are always those who need a perfect line drawing, a perfect pattern, a perfect design and those who are free spirits who go with the flow.

    There is only one Melody Johnson.!!

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  4. Mrs. Mel:
    I really enjoy your work and your teachings on your blog. As an aritist I too sketch first and then I am always amazed at how it changes during the making. I think that is the best part! I then compare the sketch to the final product and when it looks like the sketch I usually am not as happy as when it takes a life of its own during the making.

    Please keep posting.

    SueMc
    Alaska

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  5. I describe it as 'letting the work talk to me as I go'. When you listen it is loud and clear. I really like the new quilt. It has a zen like quality to it.

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  6. Anonymous9:25 PM

    I think I can smell the bread? Thanks for the video link....

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Hello,
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