Where Do You Want to Go?

**The Forest for the Trees** Art Quilt Inspired by a hike in early winter under overcast skies and on a trail of freshly fallen light snow. 25” X 26” framed in solid wood off white frame

What do you currently make? Appreciate how far is has taken you on the creative journey. We all started somewhere. I have been using color since I got my first box of 64 Crayola crayons and started sewing at about 7 years old. For over half a century I have been building a skillset that has led me to where I am right now.

Sewing clothes gave me skills have been invaluable in my journey as an art quilter. However, it was only when I decided to throw away my patterns and stop following other people’s directions that I broke through a plateau of my sewing abilities. I promised myself to only make what I could not buy. I stopped listening to the voices of my past and lit a little flame inside of myself.

I was raised to believe that sewing was for practical purposes. Looking back on it, I was pretty lucky. It allowed me to explore so many different mediums before I realized that I wanted to make art quilts that I built a very diverse skillset. Some interests hung around longer than others and some lasted through one project and moved on.

These early interests went through various phases. First, the phase where you don’t show it to anyone. After some improvement, I gave some as gifts, knowing that no one would ever pay for these. Eventually, I got to a place where someone offered to buy my work. Then I did a small local fair. I joined an artists’ co-op, then another artists’ co-op and now I finally have come to this place on my twenty+ year journey. It will only last for the amount of time that I find it interesting. Because each time I make a series of work, I get better or at least I get more experienced. I focus on finding ways to continually grow.

Like a plant, I grow to fill the size of whatever container I decided to plant myself in. As I outgrow each phase of the process, I looked for places where I could continue to expand. In essence, I am looking for a bigger container.

Now, that I am farther along the path I realize that I no longer need to find the appropriate size container. I am seeing how the creative potential of my life is unlimited. I am outgrowing my own artwork each time I create a series of work. I look at the work and I can see improvement. Where does it end? I have no idea. I can’t imagine a time when I won’t be excited to create art. It’s a long game for me.

If you are a creative person it helps to take a look at your long game. How long have you been on your journey? What do you love about it and want to keep doing? What skills are you gaining? What inspires you and keeps you excited to move forward? Each of these are little sparks that light the way for you.

It also helps to put down what no longer inspires you. If not forever, for the time being. Revisit it in the future if you feel the desire. Find the intersection of the thing that makes your heart skip a beat and the project that will grow your skillset. Try the thing you don’t think you are capable of yet. Reaching for something just beyond what you’ve already accomplished allows you to grow your skills. It’s like climbing a mountain in the fog. With each step the path ahead get clearer. The mountain is endless and only by moving forward will your next step appear.

Being an artist differentiates us from those who learn a specific skill and keep repeating it. The people who are satisfied and comfortable being good enough. If you want to read more about this phenomenon, I recommend a book called “Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson”. It talks about the mindset and behavior of people who want to excel at something - anything. I found a lot of the material in this book related not only to making art but other aspects of life.

I want to add a disclaimer here. If you are happy dabbling in whatever it is that you create, don’t destroy your happiness to travel a road that you don’t want to go down. Take a pause and ask yourself “Do I love and appreciate this person’s artwork?” “Do I want to put in the 20, 30 or more years that allowed this artist to make something of this caliber?” Because it’s perfectly fine to say WOW! that’s beautiful, awesome or amazing without thinking that you should try to make something similar. In fact, if you want to pursue art, you are more likely to want to pursue something that is uniquely yours. Ultimately, you will know what to do if you just check in with yourself without anyone else’s input.

Thanks for checking out the blog and I wish you a creative week!

with gratitude,

Claude

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