
I often get my inspiration from the view out of my window, something I see on-line, or an article in a magazine. I don't discount any raw ideas, but the ones that keep popping into my head or that make me giddy with excitement are the ones that I tend to go with. I take these ideas and start working with them. I sometimes draw a rough sketch, but other times I keep the ideas in my head and let them percolate until I'm ready to start working. I keep an idea book where I can keep track of potential projects just in case I need a kick start. Sometimes I work more intuitively and start a quilt or a painting and let it lead me to the finished project. I don't have one particular way of working, but I allow myself to work in the way the feels right at the time.
For my art quilt "Stardust" I drew a sketch which I based my quilt on. Later I went back and colored in my sketch using a different color scheme. I often write about my process in my blog as I work on a project.
I want to share joy and beauty with the world. I enjoy creating art and I feel called to create and share my gifts in this way. When I don't take the time to be creative I feel a little off and I get cranky. I would rather be creative than make the people in my life miserable. I want to help people to bring beautiful, quirky art into their living space or that they can wear. Helping people to feel beautiful and happy makes me happy. I love creating art that can fill this need.
My work has a bit of me and my soul embedded in it. No one else can create just like me. I take inspiration from others, but I always try to add my own twist and make it mine. As I continue to develop as an artist I will follow my own voice more and more and my art will be more unique.
I have several projects that I'm working on right now. I have an art quilt, a felted picture, and a textile art piece that are all in various stages of completeness. I also have a couple of paintings that I have been thinking about and will start soon.
I'm getting ready to teach a fabric dyeing and surface design class this fall. I'm also helping to start an art quilting group within my quilt guild. I like to keep busy and always have something that I'm working on.
My family and my five kids and running a household also keeps me pretty busy all the time. That's what make my life beautiful though.
This is my felted piece that is still a work in progress. It is wool, silk, and Angelina Fibers. I love the sparkly bits.
I'm passing this along to Clare from Stuffed with Aloha now.
Janelle