Category Archives: nancy crow

Nice Interview

     There is a nice interview about Nancy Crow on Terri Jarrod Dimond’s blog this morning.

      At one point, Nancy came in our class a bit irritated about what a reporter had asked her. She spoke to us about the fact that she is an artist who makes quilts. She was passionate about not wanting to lose the word quilt out of our vocabulary or definition of who we are. Not textile artist, not fiber artist but an artist who makes quilts.

      Prior to this class, I was introduced by my mom to one of her friends. When her friend asked what I did my response- I am a mom but in my spare time I am an artist and I make quilts. She had lots of questions for me. It was the first time I said it and it felt awkward-do I really think of myself that way? Now I will be honest with you and I did know she was a sculptor. So I wasn’t that brave. But what will my response be? Will I care enough about the heritage of quilting to make that statement mine? Do I need to go to art school to consider myself an artist?

                                                   Art outside the Barn

                                               Working hard-on the wall

     Ok what do you consider your self? What words do you use to define your art? I am just interested.

Off to garden-a day of sunshine!
Happy Sewing, my friends!

After

     I can only come up with a one word title. I feel a bit slow yet amidst the chaos that is created this week-in between coming home and getting ready to leave already for a wedding in VT this weekend. Just a few days to re-group and re-organize -slow and not very productive is not really a great place to be at.
     I spent last week at the Barn at a workshop with Nancy Crow at the class titled Sets and Variables I and II. The class -very basically-was working on a specific motif ( a original block pattern you drew) and all it’s various configurations. Each piece we cut was cut freehand and individually. She gave assignments and lectured at the beginning of the day and we had timed exercises to complete. For example, here is the project and you have one day to do it or two days to do it. Then, each person would present it to the class and Nancy would critique it. She has an amazing amount of energy and is brutally honest. But within the critique, she met each of us where we were in the process-as a true beginner or much higher. So, after the initial  critique you were less fearful , and were actually looking forward to seeing what she had to say. For the brutal honesty and time she gave us, I really respect that. Because honest critique of your work is very hard to come by.
      Lots of art theory-LOTS! I am not a person who likes to present to others so the whole experience is really hard for me-but I realized I learned the most from seeing others pieces and doing a self-critique of my work. And yes, I really did work from 7:30 am until 10pm. Brain work and sewing work.

                                                   Design wall: Day One

     Since it was an intermediate class, I expected it to be hard. Nancy spent an incredible amount of time with us both individually and as a group. Design, shape, texture, figure-ground, pattern repetition, pattern manipulation-I could go on and on. She wants you to figure out the answers and process the information.

     The energy that is created with working with others is something I don’t know if I can explain. As a quilter/artist , it is lonesome working by yourself. I rarely sew with others because it is just too hard lugging my stuff out of my studio. (Yup I will now call it a studio.)  Few people do this kind of work so I am kind of an oddball too. Like-minded quilters are hard to find? So just not being odd, was great. I enjoyed spending time with a  woman, Rahel,  who was sitting adjacent to me- a woman from Israel who had just retired from teaching. She has devoted 40-50  hours a week since her last class on producing quilts so the body of work she showed was amazing. And she gave a brief 15 minute talk to us-at Nancy’s request-about how to integrate art as a priority if this is what you want to do. Rahel was very articulate and had us all in tears at the end- how using your hands is a gift not to be wasted.

                                         End of Day One

     This was clearly a stretch for me both technically and design-wise. I knew that going into it and didn’t really expect to make wonderful things there. I never do with timed exercises.  It’s more for me the knowledge I leave with and how I begin to process it as I leave and go forward. And my head is just bursting so I hope all of it stays inside and just doesn’t burst.

   Unfortunately, on the last day of class one of the gals I traveled with fell and broke her femur….poor thing needed surgery. I must run and try to call her and see how she is doing. We had to leave her behind in Columbus while she recovers. Miss you new friend and hope you heal quickly.

Off to catch up.

Happy Sewing, my friends.
  

Intense

     It’s the only word I can use to describe the week: Intense. Just got home this afternoon from a five day workshop at the Barn  I am a hard worker and have never been afraid of hard work. But that was really hard work. Brain work. I was there from 7am until 10pm every day! The kind of work that is really exhilarating but it’s exhausting at the same time.  I spent the week with 20 other artists who make quilts. They came from all kinds of places: China, Japan, Alaska, England , Israel and the good old US. The conversation was great-not just about art, the food amazing , and the process of learning grueling but good  The end results I had  were mixed. I just was overstimulated with all the ideas going through my head. And that’s a good place to be at right now. I just want to savor it for awhile longer before real life jumps in again.

  From my walk one day when I needed a break-

The ceiling of the timber frame barn we worked in- which was a great distraction!

Most of the pictures I took involve others works so there won’t be any sharing of that kind. But I will tell you more later….I am just tired. And glad to be home.

Happy Sewing, my friends!

Improvisational Quilting

       I began piecing improvisationally after a workshop I took about three years ago by Nancy Crow. If you ever have the opportunity, go to one of her workshops. No matter where you are in your journey, you will benefit from it. I’ll talk more about that in another post.

    I normally have an idea in my sweet little head about what I want my piece to look like. I then pick fabrics, strip piece and then begin cutting and designing-on the wall-no sketches. Then no measurements and definitely, no patterns. I re-arrange and create on the design wall. This is immensely fun but I sometimes just fall flat on my face with the design. I went back to my notes from three years ago to try to think of what I am missing. The missing piece for me seems to be my journal or sketchbook. I am not using it consistently. I need to play more on paper-what do I want it to look like? What’s the vision for the piece?

    So this week I will start there-in an entirely different place than I have been. These are my parameters for my next work:

  -I have an inspirational photo. My barn in VT. But it will be abstract and not representational.

  -sketch of what I would like it to look like. To be done today.
  -50 fabrics of my palette-I am stuck on an island and there are no other fabric stores. This is what I have chosen:

   – size of 24×36.

Four parameters and I am going to stick with that. They are broad enough that I won’t feel like I am in a box.  This will be a huge challenge for me- But I know for the next class I need a sketch to start with. Any one want to join in on setting a few parameters for themselves and seeing what happens? You won’t know if you don’t try. If you do, let me know. You have two weeks!

An inspirational link: Judy Martin  a thought provoking post on quiltmaking in today’s culture . Love the photos.

         So be inspired -you chose the parameters. Happy Sewing, my friends.