You Say You Wanna Have a Resolution....

Resolutions are difficult to keep when challenges occur that interfere with the accomplishment of said resolution.  That said, I believe the viruses and trojans are all resolved and I should be able to move forward with my blogging, listing stuff on Etsy and various and sundry other technological tasks and plans. 

 I'm in the process of migrating my web site domain to a new service provider so my website is down for the time being.  Then begins the exciting "web site renovation".  I'm sorta partial to how it has been but want to make it brighter and more dynamic for users.  We'll see what I'm able to come up with over the next few weeks. 

In the meantime, I've been working on backgrounds for a new art journal.  It is time consuming but I'm looking forward to having a new space to put my thoughts and inspirations.  Many of my new journal page backgrounds are simple painted backgrounds that I will eventually embellish. 

 The pictures posted here are collaged and altered photographs I've taken.

The unpacking of the studio is coming along.  I'd say I'm about 50% done with the unpacking portion.  Waiting for at least one table to be put together and in place and figure out where I go from there.  In the next week or so, I've got to get some enameling work done for the article I have coming up in September for Fired Arts & Crafts.    Progress photos coming soon.

Frustrated Quilter Gains Inspiration

As a frustrated quilter, I have always loved looking at quilts.  My fused glass artwork frequently is evocative of the textures and sometimes the patterns of art quilts.  So I recently have been reading a book, Twelve by Twelve The International Art Quilt Challenge. 

Cover art used by permission of

Brenda Gael Smith for

Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge

 These twelve amazing artists chose twelve themes and each one created a 12" x 12" art quilt for each theme. The artistry is spectacular.  I love reading about each artist's techniques and story, as well as seeing the photos of their creative spaces.  Since my art studio is not currently, um, shall we say, up and running (i.e., in boxes waiting to be unpacked) this is a nice jolt of creativity to inspire me.  You can view these works at http://www.twelveby12.org/.  Truly Paducah Quilt Museum worthy!  I believe I can call them inspirational--quite a number of them caused me to intake breathe in amazement and wonder at the exquisite colors and textures.  Who knew a sewing machine could elicit such beauty!

This is "Dandelion" by Art Quilter Diane Perin Hock. (c) Diane Perin Hock,

USED BY WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE ARTIST

see her blog at www.goingtopieces.blogspot.com

I think there is crossover between all mediums if the artist is willing to look for the connections.  I often use photographs of quilts as an inspirational cue when beginning a new art glass piece.  I also draw upon abstract expressionism and even Henri Matisse' collage cutouts to help me design my work.  It seems to me that human creativity really has no end.  Though I've often heard people say that everything that's been written has already been written, I don't believe that is true.  Each story, each piece of glass, each poem, each painting, each quilt, et cetera, is uniquely its own, even if it draws upon similar themes as other works or even borrows heavily from other works.  The end result is a unique creation.  We seem to have a strong drive toward creating and our creativity pushes the limits of what we've done previously...if we will allow creativity free reign.