On Being a Maker

One of the wonderful things about being an artist working in quilts as a medium is that I get to make art and functional objects. The Quilt Industry is vast and includes hobbyists, professionals, artists, crafters; in short, lots of people who make things for many reasons. Where one falls on this varied spectrum is a matter of self definition in most cases.  Since I went to art school calling myself an artist has become my natural default for categorisation.  For some, having to pick a strict definition is daunting and they refuse to do it.  I understand that sentiment but I have not problem ticking several boxes off and moving from one to the next.

So while my serious career ambition is to make art, and that is art that hangs on walls, is seen in galleries and fits with most traditional capital A art categories, I am also very much a Maker.

The things I make are usually functional and usually fabric. I make them for myself and my family and also friends. These are objects made with love for specific people. The energy that goes into them is different from my art making. In some ways I still consider them to be art or artistic but they are a product of spreading joy to my loved ones rather than an expression of a conceptual idea.

Making these objects balances me out creatively. In the same way that painting one day and writing a poem the next day would. You are working different creative muscles and channelling your inspiration with another intent. Luckily for me making a bed quilt still works my technical skills in a way that can enhance my art quilts.

Creativity is a fluid thing. It needs to move like water and should not be controlled rigidly. Marking special occasions with making carries on a rich tradition of giving that has always been a part of quilt making.  This can be applied to many types of making too. Cooking & baking, scrapbooks, cards, candles, there is no end to a human's capacity to make with artistry and care.  And that is a beautiful thing.

*The quilt pictured above was a joint effort between myself and my friend for a gift to a very special little boy with much love.  And we used this pattern.

JJ

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Long Shadows : 2016 In Review

                          

This morning I walked over hard packed snow to clear my head and get the blood pumping in my veins.  2016 was a year of great highs and many lessons.  Some of them easier to accept than others.

The sun rarely shines here at this time of year, today I tried to absorb that sun, notice it as much as I could and let it's ancient wisdom burn away some confusion that is clinging to me.

Its warmth is not as all encompassing as it was in the South of France this July.  That heat was so intense that it blocked out reflective thoughts.  The sweet relief of floating in the sea after 20 minutes of trekking to our favourite beach in Bandol was a highlight of the year.  That place is deep in my bones now.  Even if I never return, the memory of stitching while listening to the sound of the cicadas and the shift of the trees outside our apartment as the mistral blew will stay with me forever.

Today what struck me about the sun was its long shadows.  The sun sits so low in the sky that the shadows stretch meekly over the land.  That meekness resonates with me.  I felt that often when trying my hand at things this year.  Somehow when I stepped out of the shadows and into the light, letting boldness take over things crashed around me.  The universe knocked me down a notch or two and I'd step back into a meek shadow once again.

The lessons I have learned from this year do not feel concrete.  But I will write them here in case someone else may resonate with them in some way.

1) Laying the foundation of your career means putting yourself out there and waiting.  Results are not instant.  The publication of Imago Mundi Oh West Canada! took over a year to manifest.  And there are several submissions made in 2016 that I am still waiting to hear about.

2) Expect more no's than yes's.  I learned this in Jackie Battenfield's fantastic book The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing what you Love.  Her point was that you should be getting tons of rejections because that means you are trying.  And the only way to succeed is to keep making the effort.

3) My top lesson of 2016, one that I am still working on and will be for years to come is: Put yourself out there, meet people and make connections.  This is my biggest weakness in terms of my career.  And I need to challenge it, push and mould this part of myself.  I will always be an introvert but the career I desire as an artist will not manifest if I let that part of me call the shots.  So as uncomfortable as I feel in those moments where I am asking for what I want I force myself through that discomfort.  Maybe some day the discomfort will lessen.

2017 is looking good from here.  I have a milestone birthday and I am planning some new and exciting projects.  All will be revealed as the months progress.

Happy New Year...JJ

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