Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Creativity Takes a Tactile Turn

This post is coming to you from Phoenix, Arizona, USA as I am still vacationing there.  During the weeks I've been here I am witnessing a shift in my creativity.  Drawing and painting don't seem to interest me quite as much lately.  Photography is still a part of my life.  But I find myself much more interested in textile arts, as though there is a subconscious gravitation towards things that are more familiar from childhood... or perhaps things that are more comforting because they are textural. I wonder if it is an attempt to balance out all the newness and unfamiliarity of my current environment? 

My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet when I was about seven years old.  She introduced me to quilting when I was around 11 or 12 years old.  Perhaps the happy memories associated with these crafts are connecting me to home while I'm stay so many miles away? 

Regardless of the underlying reason, I am enjoying working with fibers again.  A friend is going to become a grandmother soon, so I started knitting a couple of baby hats on fruit and vegetable themes. 

Eggplant Hat

Strawberry Hat

Once the first two hats were done I started thinking of other fruit or veggies and wondering how I could translate them into hats.

Blue Berry Hat

Yellow Pepper Hat

On my needles right now is what I'm hoping will be a green apple.  I've been thinking how I'll finish the top so that there's a dimple where the stem and a single dark green leaf will attach.  Not sure it will turn out like I envision it, but it's fun to try new ideas out.




I've also started pieceing a hexagon or Grandmother's Flower Garden style of quilt in the English paper piecing technique.  Stitching by hand is very soothing to me.





I haven't a clear idea of what the finished design will look like.  It's going to develop rather organically, I think, and I'm very curious to see what it will turn out like. 

This past week I felt a small rekindling of my desire to draw or paint.  I visited the local art supply store to fuel the desire a bit, but for now the desire is a bit reclusive and I don't think pushing it is going to be beneficial.  Instead, I will go with the stronger drive to create textile arts and see where it leads.  I'll keep on reading art magazines and visiting the art supply store, and when the drive to draw and paint gets stronger I'll shift back to that.  Vehicles for creative expression come in many forms and I am learning the value of respecting and 'going with' the creative flow in whatever form it may take.

Here are some photos taken in Arizona.  Enjoy!

An Arizona Sunset

Bird Tracks in the Sand


Mourning Doves on a Fence









Bonfire
Flames create such interesting shapes


So let's see where our creativity takes us next!
: )  Fern

10 comments:

  1. Wow! I LOVE the hats!!! And your quilting pieces...you do such beautiful work! As much as I loved mixed media, I find that fibers and textures call to me as well...I still don't know how to crochet (yet) but I taught myself to knit almost two years ago and find it very soothing and therapeutic...thank you for sharing with us! Can't wait to see more! Hugs!

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  2. love the knitted baby hats!!! My littlest nephew has one similar in the shape of a blueberry, so cute. I love how you seek and find creativity in so many ways.

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  3. Creativity everywhere, textiles, photography, you are talented! Darling hats!

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  4. Those hats are so so cute! I see you went with the bell pepper for the yellow. As I have a yellow pepper in my fridge at the moment, I can honestly say it does indeed look like one! -_^ I look forward to seeing how the apple turns out; gorgeous no doubt! I'm also glad you went with spring green instead of predictable red.
    The fire photos are amazing, especially drawn to the second, shows so much life. Would love to see this captured in a painting or perhaps as an abstract quilt. Hmmm!!!

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  5. Ow, Fern, these hats are so, SO cute :) You are as talented with the needles as you are with brushes... Inspiring!
    I can only imagine what it must be like for you to be so far away from home for such a long stretch of time... My heart goes out to you - and I hope you're feeling so much better there that it makes up for unearthed roots! Big hug! & keep creating :)

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  6. Have fun exploring the textile Arts - your hats are too cute!

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  7. Fern, I love your hats. I've actually got a hat on the needles right now after rediscovering my knitting from childhood. Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures as well.

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  8. Hiya Fern,
    So how goes the quilt and baby hats? Are you still in AZ or headed home? Guess what . . . I've started a linky party on my blog: Frugal Treasures Tuesday. Essentially it is a collection of things made, found, or created by other bloggers that we share on a page on my blog. It's a great way to find other blogs that are similar to what you like and share. You just join in with the link at the bottom of the post and follow the instructions to leave a picture and link to your project. Would love it if you linked these hats, so adorable. Just click on my name or go here: beezrentaldesigns.blogspot.com to learn more about it. Hope to see you there!
    Bobbie

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  9. Oh, my! I am so glad that you found my blog and now I found yours. We share a name and we both love to create from lots of different media. I love your hats! I have tried knitting, but wasn't very good at it, I do like to crochet though and most prefer working with thread and little hooks. As I age though the eyes are not seeing things as clear as they once were so I gave up cross stitch and went back to sewing which is why I am doing so much quilting. I will surely be checking out your blog more in the future. So nice to meet you Fern! Oh, and we live fairly close as I am in Northern California!

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    1. Welcome, Ferne! I'm so glad you stopped by. We aren't too far apart geographically at all. I look forward to having you visit again and to reading your blog more in the future, too. : )

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